Teenage Wasteland
by xo.Kyorii
Summary: "No, Roxas. I'm not okay. I came here hoping to explain things to the love of my life, but instead I'm stuck with your introverted girlfriend, an emo kid, a lovesick desperato, a terrorist, a seventies chick, and a whole island of teenagers in my way."
1. The Promised Land

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Descripton:** No, Roxas. I'm not okay. I came here hoping to explain things to the love of my life, but instead I'm stuck with your introverted girlfriend, an emo kid, a lovesick desperato, a terrorist, a seventies chick, and a whole island of teenagers in my way.

**Fandom:** Kingdom Hearts  
**Main pairing:** Sora x Kairi  
**Rated**: Strictly T  
**Genre:** Humor / Romance  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy, but just like every other Square Enix fan, I wish I did :)

* * *

**Background Information: (Setting, plot, places, characters, other.) * characters advance overtime.**

**Setting: **Majority of the story takes place on Kingdom Hearts Resort, where a bunch of teenagers spend their summer. The rich son of a famous businessman bought the island and built a resort for teenagers only. He thought it was a great way for teens to meet new people, find who they are, and have tons of fun. The resort contains everything a teenager could ever dream of; every hobby that existed was there. It was a special event that no teenager could resist- it was a _Teenage Wasteland_.

**Plot**: 8 completely different teenagers are forced to live in a beach house together on Kingdom Hearts Resort. Each one of them has a different story and personality, resulting in drama, romance, humor, misunderstandings, action, jealousy, your not so average teen angst and many adventures yet to come. They're in for one heck of a summer vacation.

**PLACES:**

**Memoria Insula:** Latin for _Memory Island_, and is the island where Kingdom Hearts Resort is built.

**Kingdom Hearts Resort:** The resort strictly built for teenagers only. It is the 'Teenage Wasteland' every teen has been dreaming about, filled with everything they love. Its appearance is beautiful both inside and out, filled with only the latest designs and gadgets. And although the idea of an island full of teenagers seems dangerous, security is packed. This resort is in its third year now with high success rates.

**Destiny Islands:** The luscious, yet small island that Kairi, Selphie, and Tidus come from. It is also the same island where Sora and Kari first met and fell in love two years ago.

**Palumpolum:** (_Final Fantasy XIII_) The modern town where Sora and his cousin Hope come from.

**Twilight Town:** The sunset painted town where Namine, Roxas and Hayner come from. Riku and Xion also live there, but in the downtown, darker region.

**CHARACTERS:**

**Kairi Emori Lovelock (Stage 2):** The ex-girlfriend of Sora. She rentlessly tries to convince herself that she doesn't love him anymore, but when he ends up living with her, everything changes. She comes across an easy going, stylish girl, with many talents and a great personality. Age 17.

**Sora Hikari (Stage 2):** The ex-boyfriend of Kairi. A little misunderstanding happened between them in the past, but he is determined to fix things. He has never stopped loving her, and plans to convince her that his feelings are true. Sora is easy on the eyes, talented, and may seem childish but is serious when he needs to be. Age 17.

**Roxas Hikari Aethon (Stage 2): **The twin brother of Sora. Their parents are divorced; Roxas lives with their mother while Sora chose their father. His mother was re-married, giving him a new last name. He's dating Namine, who he loves very much despite her 'problem'. Roxas is charming, famous for being a talented musician and very easy to get along with. Age 17.

**Avielle Namine Emori (Stage 1):** The first and favourite cousin of Kairi. She has 'agoraphobia', making her scared of the outdoors. Her boyfriend Roxas loves her, nonetheless. Namine is an artist, very shy, and lets Roxas do most of the talking during social occasions. Age 16.

**Axel Montgomery Oryxine (Stage 2):** The best friend of Roxas. Though they haven't spoken in about a year, they were reunited on the island. Axel is known for always wearing a different bandana around his neck, being an excellent drummer, setting things on fire, and flirtatious. Age 18.

**Selphie Tilmitt (Stage 1):** The best friend of Kairi. As of now, she seems very innocent and incredibly girly with a very bubbly personality. She's an optimist, and always wants to see others smile. Age 17.

**Hayner Arundel (Stage 1):** The very intense gamer. He's an incredible hacker, and is obsessed with video games. He may come across a little edgy, but if you play the cards right with him, he's a very easy going guy. Age 17.

**Xion Simnel (Stage 2): **The only friend of Riku. Xion believes love is everything, and is endlessly searching for 'the one'. She wants to find not only herself, but someone she's loved for awhile. Age 16.

**Riku Somneri (Stage 1): **The best friend of Xion, and the troubled soul. Riku is deeply in love with Xion; she's the only one who understands and cares for him. She isn't aware of this, but he plans to tell her. Riku is abused by his parents, but has decided to keep it a secret. He may look dark and scary, but he has a special personality only Xion can bring out. Age 18.

**Hope Estheim (Stage 1):** The first cousin of Sora and Roxas. He joins Sora on his journey to Kingdom Hearts. Age 16.

**Tidus Clearwater (Stage 1):** Childhood friend of Kairi and _Selphie_, who seems to have a little thing for him regardless of all the cute boys she drools over. Age 17.

**OTHER:**

**The Oathkeepers:** An old, small time band that Axel and Roxas had formed when they were young.

* * *

**. Chapter I .**

_**. The Promised Land .**_

**Line of the chapter:**  
_"731 days away from you... sometimes, I ask myself, are you counting too?"_

_Destiny Islands (Kairi Lovelock & Selphie Tilmitt)_

"That cute, loving... evil, lying wretch!"

Kairi yelled out into the sky, the birds flying away in fear. She soaked her bare feet into the clear ocean, and sat down hugging her knees. She held a trinket in one hand, the other playing with some soft, light sand. She sat still for a few moments, trying to admire the view of the sky, but she couldn't bring herself to smile.

"Kairi," A voice whined from behind, "Are we complaining _again_?"

Kairi sighed and closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun against her fair skin, "Sorry, Selphie."

The girl took a seat next to Kairi, placing a hand on her shoulder, "So what happened to forgetting about him?"

The crimson haired girl hung her head down, "No luck."

"Well, he's gone now Kairi... there's nothing to do about it."

Kairi's eyes narrowed, "Well gee, what uplifting advice. Even Tidus was more comforting."

"Well, unlike Tidus, I'm bringing you into reality." Selphie let her hands fall to her sides, "I'm just saying that if you love him, you'll let him go."

Kairi bit her lip, "You're right..." She opened her clasped hand and revealed a star-like charm made of shells, a smiley face carved in the middle. It was pink, yellow, and white in colour, its quality still the way it was before, "Why do I even have this anyway?"

She threw said item into the ocean, her only memory of the boy that broke her heart, "He hurt me... he doesn't deserve to be remembered."

"Great, so you're over him?" Selphie asked happily, her mood suddenly changing.

Kairi recognized that tone anywhere, "All right, what crazy plan are we getting ourselves into this time?"

Selphie got on her tippy-toes, looking off in some random distance, "Ohh, its nothing, just... a little vacation." Kairi raised a brow and was given a flyer.

She read it over a good five times and shook her head, "No, not happening."

"Awww, come _on_ Kairi!" Selphie placed her hands on her hips. "It's a beautiful, luscious island! For two whole months, and only teenagers will be there! No adults- well, accept for the staff, but other than that, its heaven! There's a billion things to do at that resort! And I'm pretty sure sitting here depressed ain't one of them! How could you resist an oppurtunity like this?"

"Because," Kairi stood up and got into her know-it-all stance, "For one, why go to a luscious island when we live in one? Besides, I'm not in the mood. Two, an island filled with teenagers? Sounds kinda dangerous, don't you think? And three, if you haven't noticed, we don't have a heck of alot of money."

Selphie waved a hand in her face, "One, you _will_ get in the mood. Two, are you kidding me? Dangerous? A summer filled with teenagers, not to mention hot guys! And don't worry, I'm pretty sure there will be limits. And three, we _do_ have money. It's called _daddy;_ you're the adopted daughter of the mayor for crying out loud! Not mention all that money we earned working at the island's surf rental shop..."

Kairi thought it over and sighed in defeat, "Fine, I'll go, but only because I have nothing better to do this summer."

Selphie squealed and punched her fist in the air, "Well, it's settled! I'll go make reservations! I promise you won't regret this, Kairi!" Selphie ran off in the distance, towards her canoe that led towards the island.

It was silent again, so Kairi looked out into the ocean, _Maybe... this trip will help me forget him_. She stepped into the ocean and walked further until the water reached her kneecaps.

"Oh, who am I kidding..." She told herself out loud as she picked up the trinket from the water. _731 days away from you..._ She looked up at the sky and felt a tear escape her eye, _Sometimes, I ask myself... are you counting too?_

* * *

_Twilight Town (Namine Emori & Roxas Hikari Aethon, Hayner Arundel)_

The suspense was _killing_ him. The sunkist blonde waited for his girlfriend's reply, clutching a glass of water in one hand. They sat at her kitchen table, straight across each other.

Two tickets were placed in between them, a flaxen-haired girl eyeing them with doubt, "Roxas, I don't know..."

He pouted, "Aww come on, I know you can do it. You've been out of your house before- heck, you've been out of town before!"

"I don't think I can do this..."

"Tsk, tsk," Roxas waved a finger in her face, "Now what did we say about negative attitude? It won't help cure you."

Namine sighed and looked at the tickets again, "I'm guessing you went through alot for these tickets, but... I'm scared, Roxas. I've never been to another island before."

Roxas stood up and walked behind her, pulling her to his chest, "You're with me, Namine. Nothing will happen to you. You're strong, Namine."

She pressed her head against his chest and looked up at him, "There will be alot of teenagers there..."

Roxas' eyes narrowed, "They will not touch you. I'm going to keep you safe, no matter what, and I've even rented out the largest beach house they have there. We have it all to ourselves. It's just a little vacation with the two of us."

Namine suddenly smirked, "Well, maybe I could... try..."

Roxas grinned, "That's my girl." And with that being said, both leaned in for a soft, lingering kiss.

x

"Hayner!" A voice yelled on the other side of his door. His mother banged on the door for a good five minutes before taking the keys from her apron and swinging the door open, "Curse the day I bought you that game system." She found her son with wide, red eyes up against his TV, playing the video game he usually played everyday.

"Hayner!" Apparently he couldn't hear his own mother due to the headset covering his ears. She ripped them off his head and unplugged his game system.

Hayner got down on his knees and yelled, "NOOO! MOM! 24 KILLSTREAK! I WAS ONE AWAY FROM-"

His mother threw a piece of paper in his face, "Hayner, I'm doing this because I'm concerned about your health."

Hayner sweatdropped, "Please don't tell me this is the gamer addiction group again. You know the counselor placed a restraining order against me, right?"

"I know," His mother sighed, "But this is different. I think you need a vacation, Hayner."

The blonde furrowed his brows, "For the last time, I don't need to go anywhere. I'm not addicted to video games!"

His mother placed her hands on her hips, "You're speaking terrorist!"

He sighed, "Trust me, mom. It's cool."

"Okay, that's it." His mother took out a luggage from his overflowing closet and began to pile clothes inside, "You're going, and that's for sure."

Hayner laughed as he read the ticket, "Oh my gosh, this is that Kingdom Hearts Resort thing, isn't it? Mom, you're sending me away because you think I'm obsessed with video games... so you send me to a teenage wasteland? You're practically sending me into heaven!"

"You're going with your brother." Hayner blinked twice before screaming into his pillow. Oddly, his mother smiled at his agony.

* * *

_Twilight Town Downtown, Memory's Skyscraper (Riku Somneri & Xion Simnel)_

"Thinking again?" Xion asked as she took her seat next to her best friend atop the town's skyscraper. She handed him an ice cream bar, and admired the dark town below them. There wasn't much to admire, considering that it was Twilight Town's downtown, or rather, as some call it, the dark side of town. It barely got any sun, and was dark majority of the time. It rained alot, too.

Xion's companion was an albino haired boy with rather pale skin. He had bright aquamarine eyes, and went by the name of Riku.

"Thank you, Xion." He outstretched his hand to take it from her, causing his sleeve to reveal part of his arm.

Xion gasped and kneeled down to his level "Riku, not again..."

"It wasn't as bad this time," He said in a monotone voice, "At least it was only a belt." Xion's face sadened, causing Riku to do the same.

"Xion don't be sad. I don't want to be the reason you're sad. Really, I'm fine."

Xion hugged her knees, "Aren't you ever going to tell someone that you're being abused?"

Riku shook his head, "I wasn't going to tell anybody. No one would care. You were the only who did... you were the only one who figured it out."

"And you begged me not to tell anyone..." She sighed, "You shouldn't hide your pain."

Riku let out a half laugh, "I've been doing it my whole life, why stop now?"

Xion stood back up and began digging into her pocket, "Well, let's not be sad and depressed today."

Riku's eyes widened, "Dear God you're smiling. Something must be up."

Xion rolled her eyes playfully and handed Riku a ticket, "We're going on a vacation."

"What?" The silver haired boy asked in belief. He placed his hood over his head again and played with the rips on his jeans.

"Well, you know that shop around the corner? The one that sells sea-salt ice cream? Well, it turns out they were having this contest, so I decided to try it out. There was this bag of golf balls, and the one who got pink won two tickets to Kingdom Heart's Resort in Memory Island."

"And you won?" Riku asked.

Xion nodded excitedly, "Yup, so I guess you and I are going to be spending our summer in a resort!"

Riku crossed his arms, "Wait. You don't usually like to go out anywhere except around town, so it makes this suspicious..."

Xion whistled to look casual, until Riku snapped his fingers and figured it out, "You're just hoping _he's_ there, aren't you?"

"I love how you know me," Xion giggled and began to walk towards the skyscraper's steps, "Now I'm gonna go pack. Be ready, Riku!"

The boy sighed and watched Xion run off to her house. Maybe this vacation would be a good oppurtunity for him to finally confess something he'd been hiding for awhile. He usually wouldn't agree to anything like this, but this was Xion. His Xion. His miracle. This summer, he wouldn't have anything get in his way. That boy couldn't possibly be there on the island.

* * *

_Palumpolum, Felix Heights (Sora Hikari)_

Sora sat with his back against a tree in his backyard, his acoustic guitar laying on the ground beside him. The backyard was small, but classy with the rocky fountain and the smooth cement pathway. It was in the shape of a circle, and was shared with his neighbour. In the middle was a large cherry blossom tree with orange looking petals due to the sunset. Although the scene was peaceful, Sora's heart was not. His hands were firmly placed in his spiky brown hair, his elbows on his knees. He looked deep in thought, like he always was. This highly went against his usual immature and childish persona.

"Sora-san," His cousin Hope, whom he lived beside, emerged from the bushes, "Genki desuka? Daijoubu?" ******

"I'm fine," Sora replied in the same tongue. His family always had a knack speaking in their traditional language.

"Uh," Hope twiddled his thumbs, "My uncle, or, your dad... said you've been thinking alot lately. I-I've noticed it, too."

Sora raised a brow, "And?" Sora sensed his cousin was hesitating a little, unsure of what to do, so he turned around and faced him, "What are those in your hand?"

Hope grinned and gained a little more confidence, "They're tickets. For Kingdom Hearts Resort." Ah, now he knew why his cousin was so nervous.

"No," The brunette gave him a swift firm answer, picked up his acoustic guitar, and headed back into his house using the back door. Hope groaned and followed behind him. This was gonna take alot of convincing.

"Why not?" Hope began to whine.

"I just wanna relax this summer." Sora shrugged, tossing his acoustic guitar on the couch and plopped down on another couch in front of the television.

"And by _relax_ you mean mope around about some _girl_?" His cousin smirked, knowing he was right. Normally Sora would get pissed, Hope taking the situation lightly and all, but he restrained his anger.

"How did you know?" Sora sighed, getting up off the couch.

"It's obvious," Hope followed Sora out to the front yard, "You play such sad songs on your guitar about love... your phone has alot of unsent apology text messages, you space out a whole lot, you don't smile as much anymore... ever since you've returned from your vacation on Destiny Islands a few years ago, you're someone completely new. You need a break." The wind blew quietly, the crisp leaves rustling in the silence.

Sora's back was faced to him. Maybe he did need a break, but his intentions weren't a vacation. He had a feeling _she_ would be on that island, and maybe he could set things straight. Butterflies filled his stomach as he grinned; yes, _she_ would be on that island and _they_ would be in love again.

"Fine, I'll go."

Hope balled his right fist and pulled it towards him in victory, "Yes!"

"And maybe," Sora put on a teasing look on his face, putting Hope into a headlock, "We can find you a girl on that island!"

Hope placed both his hands on Sora's arm and tried to pull them down, "Haha, funny."

He said sarcastically. Once Hope realized what time it was, he bid Sora farewell and ran into his own house. Sora smiled and placed his hands on his pocket, admiring the sunset from his perfect lawn.

"731 days away from you... sometimes, I ask myself, are you counting too?"

* * *

_Memory Island - one week later_

"Th-There's so many people," Kairi bit her lip, clinging onto Selphie's sleeve. They were on their way to the reception desk where they would be given the address to their 'home'.

"Move it!" Selphie looked a little irritated, pushing through the crowd like a weed-whacker. Ahead of them, at the reception desk, was a very angry blonde with his girlfriend nervously hanging onto him.

"What?" He began to yell, "There must be some mistake! I rented that beach house for me and my girlfriend only!"

The woman at the desk shook her head, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, sir. But that house is the largest- there are eight rooms, and if you only occupy one, there will be alot of free space. We have to add more people in or some could end up sleeping on the streets or sent home."

"But you don't understand," This guy looked desperate, pressing his palm onto the mahogony table, "My girlfriend has agoraphobia, she won't be used to-"

"Namine?" Kairi found herself running towards the girl, arms wide open. Namine gasped, got off her boyfriend and gave her cousin a quick hug.

"Kairi! What are you doing here?" Namine, who didn't look at all displeased, gave Kairi a sweet smile.

"Just here for a little vacation." She replied modestly. She then raised a brow at the angry sunkist blonde at the desk, "Whose he?"

"Roxas. Her boyfriend." Roxas said protectively. He eyed Kairi kind of oddly; could it be _her_?

_Roxas... he looks kinda familiar. _"Boyfriend?" Kairi looked a little shocked, "W-Wow! How come you never told me?"

Namine twiddled her thumbs, "Well, we haven't really seen each other in two years..."

"Hey!" A blonde with a black bandana emerged from the line-up and stuck up his gloved fist, "Cut the chitchat! Some of us are actually waiting to get to the reception desk, y'know!"

Roxas placed his hands in front of his face defensively; he was never one to start a fight, "S-Sorry." He turned back to the woman. She gave him the keys and a map of the island, bidding him farewell though he had a sour look on his face.

"Selphie Tilmitt, Kairi Lovelock." Selphie informed the same woman who typed in their names on a computer.

"Oh, how convenient. You're in the same house as those two."

Kairi and Selphie turned to Roxas and Namine who gestured them to follow. They started walking on the sidewalk outside, rolling their luggages. The island was pretty much like a town with roads and sidewalks, but it had so much more to offer. Even the plants were perfect.

"It's so pretty," Selphie took in the smell of fresh air and the peaceful sound of waves crashing. Roxas, on the other hand, still looked kinda pissed.

"Roxie," Namine cooed, "Don't be sad; I'll be just fine."

He pouted, "If you say so, dear." Roxas took point and followed the map, eventually arriving at a row filled with mansions.

"Hey Kairi," He suddenly called out, his back still facing her, "You're Namine's cousin, aren't you? Ever met a guy named Sora Hikari?"

Kairi suddenly stopped and looked at the ground darkly, clenching her fists. Selphie sensed the tension and made a gesture that looked like she was slicing her neck at Roxas. He got the hint and decided that it was a bad idea to bring _him_ up.

"Yes," She cussed, "Why?"

"J-Just wondering. He's my twin brother, that's all." Roxas gulped, and quickened his pace. He got to the beach house before the three girls did- he was a good ten blocks ahead of them.

The beach house he chose really was the largest out of all the houses around the row. It had three floors, was built with bright peach bricks and had alot of panelled windows. There were balconies here and there, and had a perfect view of the beach from behind. On the outside, it looked like a large, welcoming home. On the inside, and he could see from the windows, it was modern. He whistled before jerking the keys in and opening the door.

He came face to face with two boys around his age messing around in the living room, jumping on the couch. One turned to him and suddenly stopped jumping.

The brunette with striking blue eyes like his cocked his head to the side, "Roxas?" Said blonde gulped and shut the door. He could recognize that boy anywhere- it was none other than his twin brother. His heart was beating quickly- Kairi was getting closer!

Sora had informed him about his whole relationship with the girl, and he knew how much she hated him. He just wanted to make sure it was THE Kairi earlier.

"Roxas," Kairi walked up the stoney steps of the house, "Why are you blocking the door?" He had sprawled his whole body out on the double door entry, covering it as much as he could.

"Can we go inside?" Namine walked up too, "It looks really pretty."

Selphie was getting impatient, "Roxas, let us in, please." Kairi made a move and tried prying Roxas off the door.

"You do not wanna go in there!" He warned, eventually being pushed aside. Kairi turned the knob and opened the door, only to slam it onto someone on the other side. The person she had hit fell to the floor, rubbing their aching face in pain. She was about to apologize until she saw who it was, and nearly died.

"SORA."

**In the next chapter:**

_"I'm going home."_

_"You meant everything to me- you still do, so why would I hurt you?" _

_"Wow... not even one hour and all of you are already fighting?"_

_"Name's Aqua Elendil. I'm going to be your interviewer for this summer."_

_"I love you. You know it's the truth."_

_"Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind."_

* * *

**So (I realize I always use this word on the first chapter author note :P), how was it for the first chapter? I personally think its a little lovey-dovey, but its supposed to be that way. This story will have romance, but if you think its ALL about romance, you're wrong x) There's more. MUCH much more. I know there's not much information on the island yet, but it'll go on through the story. And sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger, but then again, I have too :) Anyway, I have to give a little more information on this story.**

**Reading the background information was optional, but if you did read it, good :P. It'll help you understand a little more. The people do advance overtime, and if there's something new in the story, like new people or places, I'll shed some light on it. If you're confused, notify me and I'll clear everything up! Oh, and for every chapter, there will always be something called the 'Line of the Chapter'.**

**The purpose; either to intrigue the reader, show the situation in the chapter, or to emphasize something dramatic/funny.**

**I think that's about it. Yes. Hope my fans are reading this with smiles on their faces! :D And if you're a new reader, let me introduce myself. I'm xoKyorii, but you can call me Kyra, or Kyranimay (my awesometastic extended name :P). Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter! Sorry for any grammar mistakes, and please review! (I know I made a little changes from the preview. Please bare with me xP) Oh! And by the way, what Hope said earlier (Genki desuka, Daijoubu) ** Translation: How are you, are you okay?**

**xoKyorii**


	2. Ohana My Ass!

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information: (NEW!)**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Pence Montacute (Stage 1):** The cameraman. He's a little on the chubby side, but he's got a talent for photography and video editing. Age 17.

**Aqua Elendil (Stage 1): **The interviewer in charge of Roxas' household; she always wants to bring out the drama. Age 19.

**Ventus Loryn (Stage 1): **Aqua's assistant and love interest. He too is developing some feelings towards her. Age 19.

**OTHER:**

Underlined font: This means Aqua is interviewing the characters. The interviews always happen in one spot; the couches in the living room.

**Teenage Wasteland:** The TV show based on the events going on at Kingdom Hearts Resort. It gives every teenager the oppurtunity to be a television star.

**Kingdom Hearts Editing Club:** The club where all video editors gather and make movies. They are in charge of editing their footage and airing 'Teenage Wasteland'. Aqua, Pence and Ventus are in this club.

*** I don't own Roxas' car, but its pretty damn sexy. I also don't own the whole 'ohana' thing. I got it from Lilo and Stitch. I used to LOVE that movie when I was a kid. I'd watch it everyday :P**

* * *

**. Chapter II .**

_**. Ohana My Ass ! .**_

**Line of the Chapter:**  
_"Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind."_

"I'm going home."

Kairi immediately took her luggages and headed out the door; she didn't even bother to apologize for whacking poor Sora in the face with the door. The boy watched her leave with sad, yet innocent eyes.

_So she still hates me... _his heart sank, but a spark of hope lit up. She was here, that's all that mattered. That was the purpose of his vacation. As long as she was here, he could try and convince her that he still loved her. He had to try and stop her.

Selphie tried stopping her best friend by outstretching her arms and blocking the path, "Kairi, you promised me you would go on this vacation with me."

"I did," She turned her head to the side and paused for dramatic effect, "Until I saw that idiot."

Namine hid behind her boyfriend, clinging onto his sleeve, "What happened between them?"

Roxas gently pushed her hand off, "I'll tell you later."

He walked towards Kairi and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Now Kairi, I know you hate my brother and all, but you can't let him ruin your vacation. He never meant to hurt you- you know that."

She clenched her fists, "It sure seemed like he intended on hurting me."

"But I didn't," Sora whispered, "You meant everything to me- you still do, so why would I hurt you?"

Kairi spun around, her hair whipping against her face, "Bullshit!" She took a step forward, only to have Roxas carry her on his shoulder. She hammerfisted his back, trying to make him to let go, but unluckily for her, Roxas was strong, fit, and determined.

"There's no use in going back," Roxas gestured Selphie to take Kairi's luggages off the ground, "You're already here; are you going to turn down such a wonderful vacation? They have so much to offer here! Plus, I promise that Sora won't hurt you this whole summer... you do promise, right Sora?"

He raised his hand, "I swear with my life."

"And if you don't trust him," Roxas let her down by the door, "Then _I_ swear too."

Selphie and Namine grinned, "Us, too!"

Kairi crossed her arms and frowned; not that she was one to give in easily, but Roxas did prove a good point. She was already on the island, and she paid all the fees. If she turned back, her foster parents would be angry, Selphie would never speak to her again, Namine would never let her hear the end of it, and Roxas... well, she didn't know exactly what he would do. They only met about half an hour ago, after all.

Plus, the beach house was _gorgeous_. And to her dismay, so was her ex. It would have been much easier to make a dramatic exit if he didn't look so attractive. He was no longer in his shlummy T-shirt and shorts- he had advanced to the skinny jeans, long-sleeved polo shirt and unbuttoned vest. His hair had also gotten spikier, if possible. It was lighter than before, too; it was like it went from dark chocolate, to milk chocolate.

His face had matured the most, now putting off the image of a young man. And his body... man, he wasn't scrawny anymore. Kairi inwardly groaned; guess she was stuck with _this_.

"Fine I'll stay." She mumbled, but sure looked like she could use a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on her face.

Sora sighed in relief and attempted to shake her hand, but he decided not to. It was just so tempting, though! She really had matured over the years; her hair was longer, she dressed like a model, she got a few inches taller, and her body... just... _irresistable_. Not that he liked her only for her body; there was so much more to love about her.

_Hard to believe you were once mine_, Sora thought melancholicly.

Roxas coughed on purpose to break the awkward silence, "So, um... there's six of us here. Aren't there supposed to be two more people? 'Cause I mean... there's two rooms left."

_Six? _

It was just then that everyone noticed a blonde in a beanie hat setting up a game system by the plasma screen TV. It was built against the wall, and was at least 100 inches in width.

"And you are?" Selphie asked, looking rather disappointed with his appearance; he looked like the typical slob, and she _despised_ slobs.

"Hayner," He replied bluntly, not even bothering to give them eye contact.

Kairi gasped, "Hayner? As in, Arundel Hayner? The guy with the legit four hundred killstreak?"

Sora twitched though he wasn't really surprised, "Kairi, _you_ play Modern Warfare?"

She ignored him in response and shook Hayner's hand, "I'm Kairi."

He gave her a kind smile; one could only assume it was because Kairi was a gamer herself, "Nice to meet you."

Hayner looked a little shocked himself, but did a better job at hiding it; _this_ gorgeous girl played video games? _Damn_.

Muffled voices were heard on the other side of the double doors, grasping everyone's attention. Someone opened the door and peered inside before walking in. By the looks of it, they were anti-social. It was the silver hair and gothic attire that gave it away. His companion looked a little more promising; she had short, sleek black hair and wore a smile on her face. The smile grew once she stopped talking and locked eyes with Sora.

"Oh my gosh," She could hardly believe her eyes, "It's _you._"

Sora shivered and hid behind his brother, "Don't touch me, Xion!"

Riku glared at Sora; _this_ was the guy of Xion's dreams? His competition was _this_ loser? Tch, this was gonna be easier than he thought. He saw Sora slap Xion's hand away, inwardly angering him. He did _not_ just hit Xion.

Kairi caugh a glimpse of the girl, feeling the need to throw up. Fate was being cruel to her today. She tried running for the door again, trying to escape, but Roxas grabbed her in time. Hayner threw his luggage onto the couch, tossing his clothes onto the floor as he searched for his video game. Selphie was disgusted, and began yelling at him. Soon enough, everyone began yelling at each other.

x

"Deep breath Aqua, deep breath. This is the moment you've been waiting for all year, no big... just, calm down. Eek, this is so exciting!" A young woman with lavender hair adjusted her teal halter top and fixed her skirt, standing on the porch of the very same household. Her companions were a chubby cameraman and a young man that oddly resembled Roxas. The girl, her name being Aqua, took in one last deep breath and turned the doorknob.

She walked inside, only to hear screaming and whining coming from the end of the corridor. The chubby cameraman pressed the _on_ button and began walking across the sleek wood hallway that led to the living room. The living room was very large and modern (like the whole house, actually) and even took up a segment of the second floor. A huge window was placed in the back for a perfect view of the backyard, and its cream coloured walls with futuristic furniture (including the grand piano in the corner) all seemed very welcoming.

The only things that _weren't_ welcoming were the guests.

Selphie was yelling at Hayner for being a slob (he yelled back, of course), Namine hid behind Roxas who was yelling at Kairi for trying to leave again, and Riku had Sora in a headlock for being rude to _his_ Xion.

"Oh my," Aqua placed a hand over her mouth, "This is _not_ what I was expecting... V-Ventus, can you try and stop them? Sort of... divert their attention to us instead?" The Roxas look-alike cracked his knuckles and obeyed Aqua swiftly.

"Hey, hey! Quit it! Stop yelling! Let him go!" After a few ducks, punches, kicks and pulls, Ventus suceeded in getting the destructive eight to settle down. They took up three couches, all sitting in an awkward silence.

Aqua shyly walked over to the middle of the room, adjusting her top again (she had a habit of doing that whenever she was nervous or excited) and sighed, "Wow... not even one hour and all of you are already fighting?"

"Who are you?" Riku asked with an irritated look on his face. He'd much rather beat up Sora for talking to his _bestfriend _in such a rude manner. His appearance startled Aqua a little, but she hid it well.

"Name's Aqua Elendil," She chirped, gaining a little more confidence, "I'm going to be your interviewer for this summer. We're gonna film your experience here at Kingdom Hearts Resort; ever heard of the show Teenage Wasteland? Its based on what happens in this very resort. In _every_ household; in _every_ event."

Selphie perked up, "So we're gonna be television stars?"

Aqua semi-nodded, "Sorta, yeah."

"So wait," Hayner sat on the edge of his seat, slightly twitching, "You're gonna be filming our every move? Isn't that called _stalking_?"

"No," Aqua narrowed her eyes, "We just want to know your true nature, your perspective on things, your talents... maybe even some secrets."

Riku scoffed, "And what makes you think we're gonna tell you any of our secrets?"

Ventus raised his index finger, "Fame requires sacrafice."

"Now, I'd like to interview all of you one by one if possible; just to get to know all of you, know why you're here... just introduce yourselves. It'll help with the whole _drama_ thing." Everyone looked slightly perkier than before, except Riku of course. Selphie, who looked the most anxious, was interviewed first.

* * *

"So..."

The Hikari brothers spent their reunion at the large backyard of the mansion, watching the waves crash on the shore far from where they were. The backyard was _enormous_; it had a tennis court, a basketball court, a soccer field, large fountains, beautiful plants, perfect stoned pathways (one in particular led to the beach) and a swimming pool. Roxas only paid for the best, of course. Sora's back was faced to Roxas, but he knew he was there.

"How long has it been?" Roxas asked, now standing next to his twin, "Two... three years?"

"You dyed your hair blonde." Sora stated, not bothering to answer Roxas' previous question.

The blond combed a hand through his hair and grinned, "Yeah."

His hair used to be brown, just like Sora's. He and Sora looked very much alike, and though they didn't see each other much, they got along very well. They had the same interests, style and taste in art. The only things they didn't share in common were their parents, and their eyes; and Roxas' girlfriend, of course.

Roxas' eyes were pure and happy, whereas Sora's were dark and hazed. "

Are you okay?" Roxas placed a hand on his shoulder, though he knew the answer well.

"No, Roxas. I'm not okay. I came here hoping to explain things to the love of my life, but instead I'm stuck with your introverted girlfriend, an emo kid, a lovesick desperato, a terrorist, a seventies chick, and a whole island of teenagers in my way."

Roxas was going to say more, but the doorbell rang. Everyone else was too busy either getting interviewed or unpacking upstairs, so he decided to answer it himself with Sora trailing behind him. On the other side of the door was a young man with a checkbook, informing Roxas that his car had arrived.

Sora raised a brow as he followed Roxas down the steps, "You had them bring your car?"

"For transportation, of course." Roxas winked, then jumped in joy when he saw his car. The driveway had three garage doors, Roxas' being the only vehicle there.

"What is that?" Sora tapped his chin, "Silver lexus... xc430 convertible?"

"Exactly right my dear brother," He ducked down to the car's hood and hugged it, "Oh, I missed you baby!"

Sora scratched the back of his head, "You named it, didn't you?" Even as a child, Roxas was always the one who got attached to inanimate objects.

He smiled sheepishly, "Say hi to Namine."

"Classic, name it after your girlfriend... which you _still_ haven't told me about." After Roxas' fame days in _The Oathkeepers_, Sora was surprised to find out that only _now _Roxas got his first girlfriend.

"Well, we started dating about eleven months ago-"

"Sora!" Xion hollered from the front door, "It's your turn to get interviewed! Oh, and since Aqua's short on time, she paired you up with Kairi so you can get things done faster!" Sora gulped and placed a hand over his quick beating heart.

Roxas placed a hand on his shoulder, "It was nice knowing you, bro."

x

So, who are you two? Tell us a little about yourself.

Kairi looked away from Sora with her arms crossed, still looking pissed. He could clearly see that she wasn't going to talk much, so he introduced himself first, "I'm Sora Hikari, um... I'm seventeen, I live in Palumpolum with my dad, I'm Roxas' twin brother, I play the guitar..."

You sound great, Sora. What about... _her_?

Kairi glanced at the camera from the corner of her eye but still didn't speak. Sora cleared his throat, "That's Kairi Lovelock, Namine's cousin."

She scoffed, "I can introduce myself, you know."

He pouted, "Well sorry, you weren't talking so I decided to-"

She cut him off coldly, "Shut up, Sora."

Ooh, she seems mad at you. Do you two know each other by any chance?

"Actually," Sora scratched the back of his head, "We used to date about two years ago."

Used to?

"Yeah, we kinda got into a little misunderstanding..."

"_Misunderstanding_?" Kairi spat, now standing up, "What's the misunderstanding? You were dating me and you kissed another girl! What the hell is the misunderstanding?"

Sora defended himself with his hands by his chest, "Kairi, you don't get it! I didn't kiss her! _She_ kissed _me_! I didn't even do anything!"

"Exactly," She clenched her fists, "You didn't do anything. You didn't even bother to pull away."

Zoom in Pence this is getting good!

"I love you," Sora stood in front of her, now being at least a head taller. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes and said with a pure expression, "You know its the truth."

She smacked them away and ran up the spiral staircase, "Stop giving me this bullshit!" Sora was frozen on the spot, taking in what just happened.

He sighed and fell back on the couch, his hands covering his face, "Guess I'm gonna be doing alot of convincing this summer."

* * *

"Well, thank you for letting me interview all of you," Aqua stood in the middle of the living room again, bowing in gratitude, "This is going to be a _very _interesting take."

Hayner rolled his eyes and grabbed his console, "Whatever; as long as I get my gamer publicity, I'm all good."

Aqua twiddled her thumbs, "And as your interviewer, its partly my job to make sure you all don't kill each other so I'd like to discuss your behaviour. I know most of you have already met before, and some of you just met now, but seriously, you're _ohana_ now. You'll all be living together for two months, so why not try to get along?"

"Ohana means family," Ventus chimed, "Family means nobody gets left behind." Everybody scoffed, knowing where they'd heard the quote before.

"Ohana my ass," Hayner half-laughed, "Everyone knows we're never going to get along."

"Actually," Aqua grinned, "After the interviews, I realized you all had connections to one another with your personalities. Believe me, you're all going to get along somehow, someday."

Xion tried cuddling next to Sora- he scooched away onto the other side. She was about to reach out to him but he slapped her hand away. Riku came in between them and gave Sora a smack to the head, glaring at him after.

Sora huffed and crossed his arms childishly before pouncing on Riku, attempting to hammerfist his face. Hayner continued to toss his clothes around with Selphie yelling at him, Namine hid behind her boyfriend and Roxas tried to stop the fight between Sora and Riku. It seemed Riku brought a wooden sword with him, and things were not looking good for Sora. The brunet was muscular, but Riku was just a tank.

Aqua rolled her eyes and turned to the camera with the mic held beside her face, "So, what will happen in the Hikari household? Will things continue to be chaotic, or will peace find its way into their hearts? Will we find out the deep secrets of these bickering children? Will Sora and Kairi ever get back together? Can Namine and Roxas maintain their relationship? Will Hayner ever tune down in the gaming? And what is it that's making Riku so mad, and Sora so agitated at Xion? This is Aqua Elendil, signing out from day one. Stay tuned!"

"And... cut!"

**In the next chapter:**

_"My name's Olette. I'll be here about two days a week to check on how you're doing."_

_"Ever heard of Battle of The Bands?"_

_"AXEL!"_

_"I'm Cloud, by the way."_

_"Great, it's only day two, and I've already been cockblocked."_

* * *

**I think I liked that last line :P Anyways, how was this chapter? I know not much has happened, but I assure you ALOT happens in the next chapter. The activities start, and now that the eight have met, who knows what could happen? There are more characters coming, but don't worry. I know there are alot but most of them barely show up, like Hope xP. He was there for the first chapter, then he ninja disappeared D: But it's all good. Hope needed to leave the story and be with me; he is my husband, after all xD.**

**But if you are wondering what happened to dear Hopie, you'll have to stay tuned and find out :). And about the whole interviewing idea, I kinda got it from the movie 'Surf's Up' and the TV show ' Total Drama Island/ Action'. I find it interesting and funny :P, it has part of my video editing persona in there. Anywho, my friend went to his anime convention thing yesterday (I sadly didn't go since I'm going to one in the summer), and guess who she saw at Tim Hortons?**

**Axel.**

**LOL. Isn't that kind of awkward? Seeing your average Kingdom Hearts people doing normal things? I happen to think its odd yet entertaining :P. And WHO HERE PLAYS MODERN WARFARE? If you do, I would just like to say I GOT 4 NUKES IN ONE DAY :D. Like, I've never gotten a nuke before, then I get four in one day just by running around with an m16 grenade launcher and an RPG xD.**

**Now, if you excuse me, I must go back to researching for my Geography essay. Some people find it odd that I'm a writer but I simply SUCK at writing essays xP. No really. It's one of my weaknesses. But I will go research... after I reply to your wonderful reviews :D I'm so happy to see that some of my previous readers are still here! Like really, anyone who reviewed, or read this story; Teenage Wasteland is dedicated to you :)**

**Hearts in The Twilight: I love your username :D It's so dramatic in that awesometastic sense, if that made sense xD. And thanks :3**

**Suzumiya Haruka: Sora and Kairi are ALWAYS the perfect couple ;) From here I can only tell you that Sora kissed another girl while he was dating Kairi because I don't want to give any spoilers :P Unless you like spoilers, then you can message me about it xD AND HOPE IS ADORABLE. I just want to hug him and squeeze him and LOVE him! x3**

**ChuckleBunny: YAY you're back! :D Thanks so much for supporting me x3! And yes, I certainly LOVE Hope :)**

**frozenflower716: You know what? We're going to Anime North together next year! I'm gonna be Xion :D MAYBE I'LL SEE HOPE THERE AND RAPE HIM XD. Then it turns it he's some random gay guy. Actually Philip said that. He told me that if anyone were to dress up as Hope, it should be a gay guy, so I told him to dress up as Hope LOL. What a good best friend I am xD**

**Xx Kuragari no Kage xX: ooh, your username sounds interesting- what does it mean? I'm an anime fanatic too, but my Japanese has weakened :P. And is it really o-genki? Hm, I swear it was only genki? And thank you :3**

**Redeeming Endeavor: Pleased to meet you too :) Your review was the first I read about three days ago when I woke up, and I wanted to reply to it the most :D. To be honest, I am SO GLAD you didn't drool over the chapter like most people do (not that I mind, but you know xD), but it shows me you care :) And don't worry about the character overload; most of them barely show up xD. Have you noticed Hayner's brother hasn't even come in? He's only going to get mentioned once lol. Thank you so much for all the useful info! You sound like a really good writer; when I read this review all I could think of was "WOW" :O. It felt like I was given a review by a real business reviewer, if that made sense :P And for the two typos, thank you for pointing that out, but I thought you caught the other two typos I made :P. Apparently Kairi signed in as Kairi Hikari (it's supposed to be Kairi Lovelock) and Sora lived with his mother when he was supposed to live with his father xD. Well its all well, I fixed them, and about the word 'alot'. I live in Canada, so I was only taught that it was two words last year so I'm stil not used to it xP. When Hope spoke in Japanese, I felt the story needed that 'other language' twist to it. That, and I loved Hope's Japanese voice xD. As for sunkist, I really do mean sunkist. You know, the orange drink? :P I always find Roxas' hair to turn orange sometimes in Twilight Town x). I know more of this chapter was written in that "young teen writer" sense, but I couldn't really find a way to fix it xD. Well, I'll get older and improve- you'll be one of the people I'm thanking for helping me get better :) THANK YOU SO MUCH. I think you really understand me :D**

**Princess of Twilight: A world without lame jokes is just a world, so I'm glad you made that lame joke :). I'm glad to see your username again; thanks for the support! And don't worry, Sora and Kairi are ALWAYS the perfect couple in this! And congrats on the PS3! :D I'm not allowed to play FF for the next few weeks :( I have exams coming up T-T And Hope Estheim? I can tell you who he is. My husband xD**

**Grace Peace and Cat Fights: YOU LIKE HOPE TOO? -jumps around knowing she's not the only fangirl-**

**Kaze the Renegade: Yay its you again! :D Thanks for all the support, really ! :3 I think you're the only one around here who calls me a ninja xD**

**TaylorrrStrife: Yay you called me by my name xD! I find it amusing :D Thank you so much for supporting me again! You're awesome! And I AM happy, you're so commited it makes me wanna cry tears of joy! -cries- And Seth or Dylan? Those names are so cute! :3 I tried calling my best friend 'cupcake' today, and he didn't like it very much xD I thought it was cute ! xP And, well I can't really say good luck on your history since it passed but... I hope you did well! :D**

**Fanfiction Fanatiction: OMG the summer thing was totally my intention :D. While I'm in boring ol'summer school, I have this story to look forward too :) And school is almost out, but there's still one month of hell- its the LAST month, which makes it the worst D: Thanks for the support! :)**

**xocherry: LOL. YES. I got the interviewing idea from TDA/TDI XD. Like when they're always in the washroom, bagging on each other? I LOVE THAT XD. And Hope is my favourite- he's a little higher than Sora now :O And he isn't all over my profile is he? He's just on my picture xD. And pairing wise, I find him cute with either Vanille or Lightning :3 I kinda prefer Vanille, but I've read some LightningHope fics and changed my mind xD**

**SaphireWaves: Yay, you're here again! :D Thanks for all the support you've given me! And the Japanese thing was random? Really? I found it kinda normal, but then again thats just me watchin too much Square Enix stuff in Japanese :P**

**Tranditions End: OMG. COOKIE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OMNOM :D -also gives cookie-**

**Sugarcookie: aww thank you :3 And about the whole 'Stage 1' and 'Stage 2' thing, its like in a video game where the characters develop and all that. Some are level one because they're just starting in the story, some are level two because there may be a flashback in the past when they were level one. Still confused? :P**

**TinaalovesMints: I totally get the UUUGGHGHH feeling in the morning too xD And as I promised before, this story isn't gushing romance for once :P And it is pretty early eh? I was too lazy to do my homework so I write it xD Thanks for all your support!**

**Grey vs Ale: I'm glad you see it that way; everyone thinks SoKai isn't gonna happen xP**

**Azusa-Angel: Thank you :D**

**Anonymous: -scratches back of head and laughs sheepishly- ahahaha that's embarassing, thanks for pointing that out. I got so used to writing Kairi Hikari in my previous story xP I fixed it, though, thanks :)**

**EternallySky: Whoa, if this story is gonna have more reviews than Ordinary Freak I'm gonna cry :O ! So far, its working xD. And 'I Thought I Was Alone'? Is that the story with the orphans? My friend told me about it- it had like 1000 plus reviews right? O.O I wish my story was that famous :D**

**ultravioletpaprtcutsx: thankies x3 **

**Craxuan: Oh don't worry, I know I'm not repeating that :P**

**DragonLordRay: ahaha, very punny :P And believe me, its gonna take a long while to finish FF! Finishing the story is the easiest thing ever, but when it comes to levelling up, it takes FOREVER. Like, after 50 hours of gameplay, I just maxed my Commandos and Ravagers xP**

**Jared Someone: Why do you know that? Because you know me too well, Jared :P Hope and Sora are like. My lovers x) And yes, I'm still reading the final chapter. I'm a slow reader but a fast writer, okay? xD Talk to you soon fanfic buddy!**

**Mystical Writer: OMG. FOR THE FIRST TIME I GOT A NUKE YESTERDAY :D Four of them ! I was so proud xD And care packages are awesome. I shoot them down before they deliver it to the enemy xD I'm just evil like that :P. And I play COD for the ps3; im an antixbox, SORRY! **

**XShiori-chanX: that means so much, thank you :3 And Hope is a hottie. A VERY HOT HOTTIE. MY AWESOMELY HOT HUSBAND HOPE. Whoa, overdose of the letter 'H' there xP**

**Wow, I swear thats the most reviews I've ever got for the first chapter of a story. Thank you all so much! I love you! Now normally I don't do this, but I feel like it now; I have a trivia question for all of you. If you get it right, you get the pride and a virtual cookie :P You see if I actually knew all of you I would've given you a cookie but thats beside the point. I think my author note is longer than the actual story xD Anyway:**

**TRIVIA: If you've read Masquerade, Ordinary Freak and the first chapter of Teenage Wasteland, what is common about Kairi and her biological family in all three stories? I'm looking for something specific, and JARED SOMEONE, you're not allowed to answer! I KNOW YOU ALREADY KNOW! :P And if you haven't read any of my previous stories, try guessing the mishap between Sora and Kairi and who it involved :P**

**Now, I REALLY have to go research. That essay is worth 10-15% of my grade! June is gonna be a rough month! Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, thanks for the support, please review, and I'm REALLY sorry for any grammar errors!**

**xoKyorii**


	3. Battleground

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information: (NEW!)**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Olette Eris Lovet (Stage 1): **Works as a stocker for the summer. Olette is independent and a hardworker. Her education is everything to her, so she always surrounds herself with work. There is no time for anything else; everything counts towards the future. Age 16.

**Cloud Strife (Stage 1):** The younger brother of the rich son who created Kingdom Hearts Resort. Cloud is quiet, _very_ attractive and talented. Age 18.

**OTHER:**

**Battle of the Bands:** One of the largest events on the Resort. A bunch of bands compete in a series of challenges that are judged; the winning band (decided by the votes of the teens all over the island) will receive a record deal and _a lot_ of munny.

**Cockblock:** To interfere with a boys intentions with a girl.

**Munny count:** Every hundred munny is equivalent to ten dollars. (Ex: 500 munny= 50 dollars)

* * *

**. Chapter III .**

_**. Battleground .**_

**Line of the Chapter:**  
_"I'm Cloud, by the way."_

This wasn't just a battle for the record deal anymore; it was a battle for Kairi's heart.

x

Kairi unpacked her things with her eyes hazed and watery. Namine stood at her doorway, leaning against the doorframe.

"Kairi," She said in a worried tone, "Do you need any help?" Her cousin shook her head slowly and hung it down. Nonetheless, Namine helped her unpack.

Kairi's room was on the third floor, conveniantly next to Sora's. Every room looked about the same; one queen sized bed, one walk in closet, one large television, an aquarium built up against the wall and a cozy corner filled with couches and pillows. As for the bathroom, it was placed beside Namine's room, which was right across Kairi's. Namine and Kairi were to share a bathroom, as were Roxas and Sora.

Roxas' room was across Sora's, the bathroom being on Sora's side. The second floor was occupied by Hayner, Riku, Xion and Selphie who all had their own rooms as well. Each room had the same furniture, but had different designs. Kairi was stuck with the pink room, and not that she hated pink (in fact she loved it), but her room was far too preppy to match her mood.

"Namine, are you okay being here?" Kairi asked in a monotone voice, knowing the flaxen-haired girl's condition.

_I should be asking the same thing, _Namine thought ironically, "Yeah, I'm fine. Roxas is here; he swore to keep me safe."

"Are you scared?"

"Well, this house is seems very welcoming. I wouldn't mind locking myself in here. But so far, the only thing scaring me is you, Riku, and Hayner."

"Me?"

"I've never seen you this sad before," Namine pursed her lips, "It makes me scared to think that you may never smile again."

Kairi's hand found its way towards Namine's shoulder, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Namine could see in her eyes that Kairi wasn't telling the truth, "What happened between you two? If you don't mind me asking..."

It was quiet for a little bit, the sound of Kairi's heavy breathing filling the room.

"He cheated on me."

She continued placing her clothes into drawers and her makeup on the vanity table, trying not to show her hurt face. Namine opened her mouth as if to say something, but chose not to when she saw a familiar brunet peering through the doorway. Namine tiptoed her way out, letting Sora inside. Maybe they could sort things out.

Kairi wasn't aware that Namine left the room, leaving her to talk to herself. She kept going on about how much she hated Sora and how he was a liar, thinking Namine was listening, but instead, said boy she was bashing stood behind her.

_Is this really how much I hurt you?_ Sora thought sadly. She looked so depressed; whenever she was like this when they were dating, he'd hug her from behind and tell her everything was all right. She _loved_ it when he did that and would give him a kiss as a reward for making her smile again.

He had no idea what she would do if he did that now, but it was worth a try. He had nothing to lose. He missed having her in his arms, anyway.

Once she was silent, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and placed his lips by her ear. She smelt sweeter than before; she was warmer than before. She couldn't deny she missed his hugs; so warm and comforting, but she had learned her lesson. All those hugs and kisses were _lies_. She sighed, relaxing into his touch with an evil smirk on her face.

His lips curved into a smile, whispering into her ear, "I'm so sorry."

She placed her hands overtop his, and tightened her grip. Sora's eyes widened; he knew what was coming for him.

She stomped on his left foot and kicked him in the shin. Sora staggered backwards. She pounded on his hands- he eventually let go as Kairi took his wrist and pulled him to her, using her free hand to form a fist. She punched him square on the lip, causing it to bleed. She walked away without another word and wore a triumphant smile on her face. _At least it's better than her depressed face,_ Sora placed a hand over his injured lip, wiping away the blood.

There was no _actual_ kiss, but a kiss from her _fist_ was better than none.

* * *

Hayner sprawled himself onto the largest couch in the living room, playing a video game upside down. His legs rested over the top, his dirty blond hair pressed onto the carpet. Roxas sat on the couch to Hayner's left, playing with his iPod touch. He too, was playing upside down. The two engaged in small talk, getting along pretty well. Roxas was the socialite, after all.

"So, you're _T__he_ Roxas from The Oathkeepers?" Hayner asked, blood rushing to his head.

"Yup." Roxas' mouth popped.

"I've heard your music before," Hayner said with a smile, "You're _really_ good."

Roxas grinned, aknowledging the compliment from the edgy teen, "Thanks."

"How the hell are we supposed to sleep?" Riku stomped down the spiral staircase with an irritated look on his face, "There are _no_ bed sheets, and _no_ pillows."

Roxas was about to say something, but the doorbell and prevented him from doing so. Sora, who was riding his skateboard around the house, opened it. On the other side was a rather young and attractive girl wearing an orange sundress that complimented her figure perfectly. She held a clipboard in one arm and a pen in the other. There were two men behind her, lugging around some items from a truck in the driveway.

"Uh," Sora (who now had a cut on his lip) scratched the back of his head nervously, "Hi?"

"Hello." The girl said kindly, walking inside the house.

To Hayner, everything around him was happening in slow motion. His eyes drifted onto the beautiful girl at the door; she had perfectly tied brown braids, the brightest green eyes he had ever seen and had such a perfect body and complexion. He began to daydream about her, the pain of the blood rushing through his head now going away.

In the background, Roxas was singing along to Stereo's _Hey Cupid_ to throw Hayner off; the socialite could easily see Hayner was already infatuated with the girl. He thought of holding her hand, running through a dandelion garden with the sun shining in their faces. At the very end of their destination was an xbox, a plasma screen, and a couch.

By now Hayner was grinning like mad, unaware of his surroundings.

"Is he okay?" The girl asked, waving her hand in his face.

Roxas smirked, "I think he's busy thinking about _something _or_ someone_." He dodged the couch pillow thrown at him.

"So, what brings you here?" Hayner sat upright, giving her a seductive smile. He was about to ask if she came here often, but he decided to keep quiet.

"I'm here to deliver some things," She replied, "I'll be your stocker for the summer. I'll bring you some stuff like pillows and bed sheets if you haven't noticed you don't have any."

"No shit." Riku spat.

"Please excuse him," Roxas glared at Riku, "He gets a little grumpy."

She giggled a little (music to Hayner's ears), "It's okay; I've been taught to tolerate high maintenance people. If you guys ever need anything, just give me a call. My name's Olette," She handed her number to Sora (making Hayner jealous), "I'll be here about two days a week, checking on how you're doing."

_Yes!_ The gamer inwardly thought.

"Thanks Olette," Roxas winked, handing her five hundred munny to tease Hayner, "Give yourself a nice little tip."

"Oh no that's too kind," She kindly declined.

Hayner stuck out his tongue, "Yes Roxas, it _is_ too kind."

Sora tried to contain his laughter from seeing Hayner's jealous face. Riku, on the other hand, was not entertained. In fact, he was downright impatient and took the black bed sheets from one of the men. He also took two pillows and headed upstairs without another word. When Riku went up, Kairi and Selphie came down.

They exchanged introductions with Olette, being informed about the island's events at the same time. "So, are you all going to the luau tomorrow night?"

Selphie raised her brows, "The what?"

"Every Friday, the island has a different themed party on the east beach. I think tomorrow has a tiki luau theme to it. You guys interested?"

Selphie jumped, "A party? Totally!"

Sora tapped his chin, "Is there any other big events on the resort that we don't know about?"

"Ever heard of Battle of the Bands?" Olette asked; these guys seemed like the type to start a band.

Roxas perked up and jumped, "They have Battle of The Bands _here_?"

Olette nodded, "Yup; the winning band receives a record deal and each performance is filmed and featured on 'Teenage Wasteland'." Sora smirked and looked at his brother. They had a twin telepathy moment and exchanged high fives.

_If only we had Axel,_ Roxas thought, missing the company of his best friend. Axel was a drum machine; when he was in the zone, nothing could stop him. With his skills, they could easily win.

"Auditions are next Tuesday," Olette announced, "I hope you guys figure something out by then. But for now, I must deliver more things to other households. Just choose your bed sheets and pillows. Have a good day, everyone!"

As Olette skipped out the door, Roxas followed behind her to close it. He waved to the crew as the truck backed up on the driveway, nearly hitting someone on the street. Clearly they weren't paying attention. Luckily, their hair was bright and easy to see. The truck immediately stopped, letting the person move out of the way. Roxas' jaw dropped, his eyes locking onto a teenager with fiery red hair and an elaborate white bandana around his neck. He was breathing heavily due to the near death experience. He looked at the doorway and saw Roxas standing still in disbelief; he soon mirrored his actions.

"... Roxas?"

"... Axel?"

"Roxie? !"

"Axel? !"

"ROXIE!"

"AXEL!"

"Sora!" Said boy yelled, feeling left out.

Roxas ignored him and ran to Axel, giving him a 'man hug', as Roxas called it. Sora recalled seeing the boy before when they were young. He was Roxas' drummer from 'The Oathkeepers'. They had more members, but everyone else dispersed. Axel and Roxas kept their bond and spoke online sometimes, keeping their 'best friend' relationship. But now that they saw each other _live_ on the island, things would change.

Roxas turned around and gave Sora a thumbs up, having another twin telepathy moment. Sora rubbed his hands together, pretending to be a mad scientist in the midst of an evil plan, "I guess this means 'The Oathkeepers' are back."

x

The next day, after a night of begging, negotiating and screaming (both out of irritation and excitement), The Oathkeepers were re-formed with new members. After hunting down some members of the household, Roxas had learned that Riku could play the bass an that Hayner was an expert with electronics. _That could really help with sound synthesizing,_ Roxas thought with a wide smile on his face. Sora was out of the question; he was Roxas' blood brother. He was bound to have the musical talent as well.

So at the end of the day, the new members were Axel on the drums, Riku on bass, Hayner in charge of lights and sound synthesizing, Roxas on lead guitar, and Sora as the lead singer. Roxas would have done it himself, but he specifically said that the public wanted someone else other than him. They wanted someone new. He wanted Sora to have some limelight, too. Mostly to impress Kairi.

But Kairi wasn't impressed at all. In fact, she was downright depressed like she was for the past two years. She always wore a sad pout on her face, looking like an abandoned puppy on a rainy day. Selphie and Namine tried cheering her up, but nothing they did could cheer her up. She locked herself in the beach house the whole day.

She needed light in her life, and **now**.

* * *

That same night was the beach party Olette had told them about. The east beach was surrounded by all kinds of teens dancing on the dancefloor, moving their bodies to the loud music. The DJ was on a podium with firedancers and girls in hula skirts around him, dancing to the beat. There were tiki torches, lanterns, a juice and soda bar (no alcohol of course); everything an awesome luau could ever have.

Everyone in the Hikari household (even Riku and Kairi, who were obviously forced to attend) was present with the exception of Namine and Roxas. Namine was far too scared to go to such a large social occasion, so Roxas kept her company. He respected her wish; as long as he was with her, everything was fine with him.

"Kairi!" Selphie yelled over the music, "Don't look so gloomy!"

Sora skipped next to her and flashed her a pure smile, "Yeah Kairi, you look beautiful tonight. You should smile."

He was telling nothing but the truth. Selphie had dolled her up before the party; Kairi's hair was mildly curled and was forced into a white frilly blouse and bright plaid shorts. She barely had make-up on, but other than that, she was a 'regulation hottie'.

Kairi disagreed, though, and took a drink from a random teenager and dumped it over Sora's head. She walked away without another word with Selphie trying to catch up from behind.

"Ooh," Aqua walked up to him with Pence and Ventus trailing behind her. She held the mic up to his face, "Still no luck?" Sora didn't respond; he just hid his face in embarassment.

"I hear you and your brother formed a band," Aqua decided to change the subject, "How do you feel about performing in front of all these people?" Sora still didn't respond. He was too busy watching Kairi disappear into the crowd of people. He sighed, thinking he'd lost her forever. But he couldn't give up now; he was here on the island for a reason, and it was _her_.

Kairi didn't think that way, though. She just wanted to stay away from him. She shouldn't have came to this island in the first place. Kairi began to feel a little woozy, being knocked side to side by the people bumping into her on the dancefloor. She forgot what it was like to be at a party. She forgot how good it felt to dance. She had forgotten everything. It was like she had fallen into the dark, and couldn't get out.

But this time, Kairi had really fallen. Someone had knocked her over too hard into the water on the shore of the beach, causing her to be all wet. Selphie had already lost track of her, and she was pretty sure Sora wasn't coming after her.

_Why am I even thinking about him? _She asked herself in annoyance. The rough sand beneath her caused her to go numb, barely having the strength to get up. The upbeat music was still playing, messing with her head.

She groaned, rubbing her temples. She had no idea how she was going to get out of this. Now she knew why she grew to hate parties. They were just a vortex of pain.

"Need help there, miss?" A soft, masculine voice asked.

Kairi looked up, only to lock her eyes with the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen. They weren't as radiant as Sora's, but they were more pure and light. The boy looked older than her by a year or two and had spiky blond hair. He outstretched one of his muscular arms towards her, lending her a hand. She gladly accepted it, continuing to be mesmerized by his beauty.

"Th-Thanks." She stammered, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. She soon found her problems washing away as a smile found its way onto her lips. What was she depressed about again?

"Here," He began to unzip his black sweater and gave it to her, "Wrap this around you. You're all wet, so it might get a little cold. Where do you live? I'll take you there. I'm Cloud, by the way."

"Cloud," Kairi whispered his name like a soft lullaby; _what a beautiful name_, "I-I'm Kairi."

He took her wrist and gave her a small smile, "Lovely name. Now, do you need assistance back to your beach house?"

Kairi shook her head; he was hot, but it was kind of creepy the way he offered to take her home like that, "N-No, I'm fine."

"You looked like you wiped out back there," He laughed half heartedly, "I won't leave your side until I see you're safe. A girl like you shouldn't be alone at a party like this."

Kairi raised a brow, "A girl like me?"

Cloud brought his lips down to her ear as if he were telling her a secret, "Y'know, a _gorgeous _girl." Kairi blushed and stifled a giggle as she tucked some of her crimson hair behind her ear.

Selphie, who was watching from afar, observed their actions. "Kairi half-giggled and tucked her hear behind her left ear," Selphie stated, narrowing her eyes, "She's _so_ into him."

Sora, who was next to her, crossed his arms. He looked angry, obviously disapproving of this 'Cloud' figure, "Great, it's only day two, and I've already been cockblocked."

x

Kairi couldn't recall the last time she enjoyed herself. In fact, she couldn't recall the last time she actually _had fun_, or was at a _party_ for that matter. It had been too long. She was lost in the darkness, and was helped up by an angel. Kairi was asleep up until now; it was those blue eyes and bright blond hair that awoke her. Cloud seemed to be her saviour.

"I know who he is." Hayner leaned against the soda bar of the luau where Selphie and Sora sat.

Sora kept his arms crossed and gritted his teeth, watching Kairi dance with that- "Biatch," He growled, "What's his name?"

The question was led towards Hayner, so he responded, "That's Cloud Strife. I hear he's the brother of the rich son who invented this resort. Everyone's talking about his band that's entering the Battle of the Bands competition. They've already gotten so much publicity; he's the lead guitarist."

"In other words, Sora's pretty much screwed." Aqua walked in, mic still in hand.

He glared at her, "Thanks for the support."

He turned his attention back to Cloud; he had a smile on his face, dancing with _Sora's _Kairi. So this was his competition? Both romance and music? No, forget the music for now. This was Kairi. His top priority. He didn't want this guy near her. Something about him was off. He didn't want him winning her heart. Her _heart_...

Her heart was a battleground now, and he and Cloud were right in the middle of it. This wasn't just a battle for the record deal anymore; it was a battle for Kairi's heart.

**In the next chapter:**

_"I haven't seen you this dazed since you were in love with Sora."_

_"Rumor has it that when you draw a lot of stars, you can't help but fall in love."_

_"Did that kiss mean nothing to him?"_

_"F*** YOU CLOUD STRIFE! I HATE YOU! YOU A**HOLE! I F***ING HATE YOU!"_

* * *

**Sorry for the semi-late update. I think I'm late by a day :P The reason being because its my last month of ninth grade, and all the projects and exams are coming up. I even have my EQAO testing on Friday D: I'm so scared! I do fairly well in math, but when they gave me that practice package... O.e IT WAS HELL. I could barely understand anything! Goodbye my beautiful 87%, it was nice knowing you :(**

**Anyway, back to the story x). How was the chapter? I know Cloud is off character; you'll see why later on. Wink wink nudge nudge. There's your new trivia question, guys! If you can guess what's up with Cloud (and no he's not overly happy because he got laid. I've had enough of that), I'll give you a virtual cake :). Oh, that reminds me. For those of you who answered the trivia question in the last chapter, here's the answer:**

**TRIVIA ANSWER: What's common about Kairi in Masquerade, Ordinary Freak and Teenage Wasteland? Its simple. For those of you who answered Namine, you're kinda right, but that wasn't the answer I was looking for. The real answer (and I think Shiori Chan was the only one who got it right xD) was that Kairi never lived with her biological parents xP. I know she did in Ordinary Freak when time rewinded, but if you looked at her first life, she was raised by Zack and Tifa. In Masquerade, she was an orphan, and in Teenage Wasteland, she lives with the mayor of Destiny Islands. To any of you who tried, thanks though :D **

**And have you guys noticed that Xion was never in this chapter? I would go back and add her in, but I have some math to study for! Like, major math studying. I have to memorize every single formula O.o Plus, Xion has a major role to play later on! Wink wink! Well, that's all I have to say for now. I might update a little late next time because of my exams, but I'll try my best! Oh, and before I reply to your reviews, who here watches Glee? THE SEASON FINALE IS TONIGHT :D And now speaking of reality shows, WHO HERE SAW THE SEASON FINALE OF GREY'S ANATOMY? I don't watch it that much but my friends forced me to watch it, and it was INTENSE.**

**PyrusBlaikeRyder: Yay, you are back! :D Thanks! And really? I don't know if I can beat Masquerade xD How sad, I can't beat my own story :P And I know, if there was a Resort for teenagers only, I'd totally go! Maybe I''ll see you there :P**

**DragoNik: Omg, thank you so much for all your reviews! I see you read almost all of my Kingdom Hearts stories :) Thanks so much, and my mother keeps bugging me about how I should write a book, but I never know what to write about xD And believe me, you're going to find alot of amazing writers on this site!**

**Grace Peace and Cat Fights: thank you :) And I'm pretty sure Ohana doesn't apply with me and my godbrother xP**

**Hearts In The Twilight: Whoa, related to Tifa? Come to think of it, I never thought of that xD It works for Masquerade and Ordinary Freak, but not here x) Good answer, though! And of course; Lilo and Stitch is a CLASSIC!**

**Kaze the Renegade: lol you'll see soon enough xP**

**SoKai Forever: lol, the answer wasn't exactly Namine, though it's still right :)**

**Transitions End: Terra's bound to pop up at some point, I'm sure of it x)**

**SaphireWaves: kissing clones? xD And yeah, I was planning on adding that car joke at some point but I haven't gotten to it yet :P And tbh, I don't really like Terra xP And aww, Roxie stole his brother's girlfriend? Right now they're on vacation at Twikii Island; Roxas and Namine are dating while Sora is jealous of Riku, who is dating Kairi D:**

**TheLuau: that's so sweet (tears of joy) THANK YOU! x3**

**Sugarcookie: you're welcome, and thank you :)**

**SillySally: thank you so much :3**

**Craxuan: Have you noticed immature spells i'm mature? xP Yeah, my best friend gives me a whole speech on that everyday.**

**ultravioletpapercutsx: I actually continued the story and got even more hectic! All their babies look retarded though xD**

**Suzumiya Haruka: You miss Hopie too? You'll see where he went; I think he's in the next chapter. But right now, he's cooking dinner for me LOL.**

**xocherry: OH true. I forgot about the quotes xP I just love him THAT much. And LOL I KNOW! They pair him up with Snow ALL THE TIME. It seems they're the new yaoi square enix couple next to AkuRoku x) And whoa, I have you on facebook? I think I forgot your name, sorry! Its hard to keep track cause some random fanfiction people add me too xD But do we live in the same city? That's kinda cool xD In a non stalkerish way, did you go to my school for ROPSAA or something? I might see you there xD**

**TaylorrrStrife: Alex? I love that name. I have a friend named Alexandra and we call her Alex, and she likes a guy named Alexander and we call him Alex, too. So she told me that if they got married, they would name their kids Alexis, Alexandro and Joe xD Random Joe xP And I KNOW. OMG. THAT SEASON FINALE HAD MY HEART BEATING SO FREAKING FAST. "Are you a surgeon?" "Y-Yes but-" BOOOOM.**

**TinaalovesMints: lol i know it was pretty confusing xP And everyone keeps guessin Xion. I'd love to tell you if you were right or not, but that would be a spoiler xP **

**EternallySky: OH, yeah, I think my friend told me about that story! She told me something about Sora singing about cherry cola, and how it had a very sad ending :(**

**Jared Someone: Did you finally get my review on 12? I finally did it xD And LMAO I love your phone... mostly because its an iPhone! I hate you Jared van Esch! Kidding, kidding. By the way my best friend says he stalked you on fb xD**

**MysticalWriter: LOL but did you still get the nuke? xD I remember I cut someone off during a nuke. They had a 24 killstreak, and I sniped them, and all I hear is some foreign guy yelling at me in french or something x) And yes, you may marry Hayner in this story. I give you permission. Me: Hayner! Him: Yes? Me: Go marry this wonderful reader. Him: Okay! -gets down on one knee-**

**Shiori Chan: Congratulations, you're the only one who got the trivia question right ;)**

**Well thank you for all your reviews :D For now I have to study math, and hopefully I don't fail that test tomorrow, and my EQAO! I'm sorry for any grammar errors I've made, thank you for all your support, don't forget to review and I love you all! :D Stay tuned!**

**xoKyorii**


	4. Airplanes

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the song Airplanes.

* * *

**. Chapter IV .**

_**. Airplanes .**_

**Line of the Chapter:**  
_"Rumor has it that when you draw alot of stars, you can't help but fall in love."_

Kairi didn't believe in love anymore.

Ever since Sora, her perspective on the emotion had changed. She hated it with a fiery passion. But now, there was Cloud. She swore to herself that she would never fall in love again to save herself from the pain, but she couldn't stop herself from thinking of the blond haired angel. He was _too_ perfect. Kairi tried telling herself that he wasn't real, but the black hoodie resting on her couch proved her wrong.

She sat on her bed the next morning, waking up from a very pleasant sleep. She hadn't had one in the past two years. She kept staring at the hoodie, not believing the events of last night. She sighed in delight, wanting to see him again. Cloud eased her from her pain; it was like he made her forget everything she was ever concerned about.

"Cloud..." She whispered, running a hand through her messy bed hair. She got up and took a shower, getting ready for the day. When Kairi returned to her room, she continued to stare at the hoodie again.

"I should probably give that back to him."

_I don't know where he lives,_ Kairi slapped her forehead. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she didn't want to give the sweater back. She wanted a memory of him; a memory that he was _real_.

"Wow," A voice from the door came, "I haven't seen you this dazed since you fell in love with Sora."

Kairi turned around and found Roxas leaning by the doorway, smirking at her. Behind him was Namine with a sketchbook in hand. Kairi disregarded the comment about Sora.

"I don't think you remember me," Roxas half-laughed, sitting on Kairi's bed, "We've met before. We didn't really talk much back then, but I did remember you."

Kairi tapped her chin, trying to think of when she had met Roxas before. She recalled seeing someone that looked like him two years ago at Destiny Islands.

She snapped her fingers, "Were you that brunet with the glasses? I think you accidentally kissed a redhead..."

Roxas' face turned red from embarassment, "Y-Yeah."

Kairi began laughing, something nobody thought they'd hear from her, "I remember you now! You tripped over a log on the shore, then some redheaded kid caught you... the force was so strong that you fell on top of him and kissed him!" Namine twitched, scooching away from her boyfriend.

"Baby, it was one time!" Roxas took Namine's hand and pulled her to him, placing her on his lap. She kissed his cheek; Kairi smiled at this.

She thought of Cloud and how sweet he was. She normally didn't fall for a person right on the spot; she needed to get to know them beforehand. With Sora, he became her best friend first. But with Cloud, it was like she knew him already.

_Will we ever be that way, Cloud? No, Kairi. Don't be delusional now. You just met yesterday. A handsome young man like him should already have a girlfriend. But... why did he offer to take me home? What to do..._

"Kairi?"

She snapped her head up, suddenly finding herself in the living room.

"When did I get down here?"

Selphie placed a hand on her shoulder from behind, "All right, you've snapped. What's his name?"

Kairi blushed and sunk low in her seat. She sat at the computer table of the living room, doodling in a notebook. "Whose name?"

"I saw you flirting with a hot blond yesterday," Selphie pointed at her best friend as if accusing her of commiting a crime, "Who is he? !"

Kairi raised her hands as if she were surrending, "I wasn't flirting! We were just... talking! And his name is Cloud."

Selphie placed her hands on her hips, "So his name is Cloud, ah? I see..."

"I know that look, Selphie."

"What look?"

"I sense you're about to do something illegal."

"Hey, that was_ one _time!" Selphie huffed, stomping her foot childishly, "Plus, I never knew hitting people with skipping ropes was illegal on Destiny Islands!"

"Can you two please _shut up_?" Hayner pleaded from the couch, playing his video game (with the radio playing softly in the background), "I can't hear the game!"

Selphie was horrified at the mess Hayner had created by the television; there were CD's, clothes, empty chip bags and game cases all over the place. She began lecturing him again, blocking the television. Kairi didn't mind them, continuing to doodle.

Namine peered at the page from behind and giggled, "That's alot of stars, Kairi."

"Does that mean something?" Kairi asked, knowing that Namine knew every meaning behind art.

Her cousin nodded, placing her palms against the computer table, "Rumor has it that when you draw alot of stars, you can't help but fall in love."

A light blush crept up to Kairi's cheeks. Could Cloud have anything to do with her star-drawing? She shook her head; she couldn't fall in love again. It was too risky.

"Then I'm going to stop drawing stars." Kairi concluded, shutting her notebook closed.

"Then what are you going to draw?" Namine asked.

Kairi blocked out the sounds of Selphie and Hayner's bickering and listened carefully. In the background, she could hear the radio playing softly. It played a song familiar to her.

"Can we pretend that **airplanes** in the night sky are like shooting **stars**?" Kairi whispered.

She grinned and opened her notebook again, beginning to draw a wing, "Airplanes. That's what I'm going to draw, Namine. In placement of stars, I'll draw airplanes."

The flaxen-haired girl disagreed and waved her finger accusingly, "Tsk tsk. Denying love isn't going to get you anywhere."

Kairi knew Namine was right, but she would still stick to her guns. She would do whatever it took not to fall in love again.

x

"He's still in love with her." Xion said sadly, letting the warm breeze blow through her dark hair. She and Riku stood side by side on her balcony on the second floor, admiring the scenery of the beach.

Riku shrugged and placed his hands in his pockets, "I don't want to lie to you and give you false pretenses, Xion."

She sighed, "So its true."

"If you _really_ look at him," Riku stared off into the distance, "You can see in his eyes that his only desire is Kairi."

Her lip quivered; Riku stiffened. He usually wasn't in the mood for waterworks, but when it came to Xion, he'd pretty much transform into a gay best friend for her.

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, "Did that kiss mean nothing to him?"

Riku sighed, "I told you before. He had his eyes set on Kairi, and Kairi only. If he hadn't been dating her at the time, your chances with him would have been higher."

"I've been thinking about him all the time," Riku could've sworn he heard a sniffle, "And all I get... is a slap in the face." Both watched as an airplane flew by, slowly making its way towards its destination.

"If he just keeps hurting you," Riku placed his firm hands on her shoulders from behind, "Then he's not the one for you." _That's right... I am._

* * *

So, what do you think of this Cloud guy?

"Hm, oh... Cloud?" Sora sat cross legged, reading a book on his lap to look casual. He looked calm as he took off his reading glasses, then suddenly narrowed his sapphire eyes at the camera, "You mean that _bitch_ that was flirting with Kairi?"

Uh-

His voice grew louder, "I mean like, he met her yesterday and he's already trying to get in her pants or something! Seriously, I can already tell he has no respect for women! He might be the heir to this resort, but he has no class! His band is already advertising themselves- that's cheap! He's probably gonna like, bribe everyone into voting for his band! I bet he's taking steroids or something. He's too damn muscular for his age!"

Sora-

"So do want to know what I think of Cloud Strife?" Sora jumped up on the couch and kicked over the lamp on the side table, "Cloud Strife is an a**hole that should go to hell!" A yelp was heard from the couch on the left; Hayner was rubbing his head in pain. The lamp had hit the poor gamer in the head.

Sora ignored him and continued screaming, "F*** you Cloud Strife!" He threw a few couch pillows aside. "I HATE YOU!" He picked up Hayner's 'Modern Warfare' game case and chucked it towards the window. The gamer's blood began to boil.

"YOU A**HOLE!" The brunet continued to destroy the living room, throwing various items around, "I F***ING HATE YOU!"

Aqua hung her head down and shook it, knowing she couldn't stop Sora's emotional breakdown.

Ventus sweatdropped and cracked his knuckles, "Okay, we really gotta calm this place down. I'm tired of blocking out the swear words in the editing."

x

"Hey Kairi, everyone's gonna walk around- wanna come?"

"In a sec," Kairi responded, smirking as she looked thorugh a pair of binoculars, "I'm watching Sora freak out."

Selphie's eyes widened, taking the seat across from Kairi on the patio table, "S-So you're actually gonna go?"

Her best friend placed the binoculars down, looking at Selphie oddly, "Why not?"

Her green eyes drifted onto Kairi's ex-boyfriend kicking a lamp at Hayner, "Um, it's just... ever since you got here all you've done is lock yourself inside the house."

"Well, I agreed to come on this vacation, right?" Kairi punched a fist into the air, "Better not let it go to waste!"

Selphie's eyes welled up with tears of joy. She knew why Kairi was happy; she felt bad for Sora, but at the same time she was happy for Kairi. She'd never thought she'd see the day when her best friend became her old happy self again. Selphie and Kairi looked up, watching an airplane fly by. Selphie clasped her hands together with a grin.

_Thank you, Cloud._

**In the next chapter:**

_"Oh! Uh, everyone, this is Larxene. My... my... well, I don't exactly know what she is."_

_"You like Olette."_

_"Tidus? !"_

_"Ready to rock?"_

_"Just gimme what I want... and no one gets hurt."_

* * *

**Y'know, I really should be studying for my exams, but I couldn't resist a little update xP. This chapter was actually supposed to be way longer- like, four thousand words longer, but I planned on saving that for the next chapter. The only real point of this chapter was to show how Kairi's changing, how she's beginning to fall in love again, and how jealous Sora is ahaha. **

**In the next chapter, the first challenge of Battle Of The Bands is there. All of the bands will be there, and that's basically where everyone shows up, so stay tuned ! And about this chapter, I kinda based Kairi's character on myself. My friend once told me that if you draw alot of stars, you can't help but fall in love. I looked down at my notebook and found ALOT of stars doodled on the edge. Just like Kairi, I didn't want to fall in love for... certain reasons...**

**So, once I heard the song 'Airplanes' (quite frankly its getting annoying now since its overplayed xD), I replaced my stars with airplanes to go against the whole 'love' thing. I still draw them ha. ****And apparently the star fact is real!**

**But anyway, moving on. I'm terribly sorry that I can't reply to your reviews because I have to study! I just finished my government math test thing, so I have a few more to go. I still have french, gym, geography and math (again.) So basically, I have all my exams coming up! I finish school in a week, so next time I update, I should be done school :D. So yeah, you all know the drill. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, sorry for any grammar errors, thanks for all your awesometastic reviews and please review ! x3 Love you all!**

**xoKyorii**


	5. Rock Mafia

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!)**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Yuna Simnel (Stage 1):** Tidus' girlfriend. Selphie hates her in the sense that she has the boy she loves, but likes her in the sense that she's a good friend. Age 16. (Lead singer of The Gullwings)

**Rikku Hokkaido (Stage 1):** Yuna's perky best friend with a loud personality and style. Age 16. (Dancer of The Gullwings)

**Paine Murdock (Stage 1): **Best friend of Yuna and Rikku, though she's a little more edgy than they are. Age 17. (Bass player of The Gullwings)

**Wakka Yevon (Stage 1):** Best friend of Tidus whose life revolves around blitzball. Age 18. (Drum player of The Gullwings)

**Larxene Cloryx (Stage 1):** The girl Axel is dealing with. Regardless of how many girls Axel flirts with, he enjoys Larxene the most (in the non-sexual way). She comes across a little _revealing_, but she's actually really nice and talented once you get to know her. Age 18. (Lead singer of The Organization)

**Zack Fair (Stage 1):** Cloud's best friend and Aerith's boyfriend. Age 19. (Lead singer of The Advent Children)

**Aerith Gainsborough (Stage 1):** The sweet, lovely girlfriend of Zack and Cloud's ex-girlfriend. Age 18. (Female singer & piano player of The Advent Children)

**Tifa Lockhart (Stage 1):** Cloud's girlfriend and an excellent martial artist. According to the boys on the island, she's the hottest girl among all the worlds. She keeps her relationship with Cloud a secret. Age 18. (Drum player of The Advent Children)

**Yuffie Kisaragi (Stage 1):** The hyperactive ninja who also lives in Cloud's household. Age 18. (Bass/ guitarist of The Advent Children)

**Lightning Farron (Stage 1):** The leader of Hope's household. She refuses to tell anyone her real name, and is the older, edgy sister of Serah. She's a soldier in training for the Guardian Corps back in Bodhum. Hope seems to have a thing for her. Age 19. (Manager of Fabula Nova Crystallis)

**Serah Farron (Stage 1):** The sweet, innocent younger sister of Lightning. She's the only family Lightning has left, therefore her sister swore to protect her from any danger. That danger includes her boyfriend Snow (in Lightning's eyes). Age 18. (Piano player & vocals of Fabula Nova Crystallis)

**Snow Villiers (Stage 1):** The loving boyfriend of Serah. Although he's flirtatious, he loves his girlfriend with all his heart. Unfortunately, Lightning hates him. Age 19. (Lead guitar of Fabula Nova Crystallis)

**Oerba Dia Vanille (Stage 1):** The overly happy cute girl in Hope's household. Hope also has a thing for her. Age 17. (Percussionist of Fabula Nova Crystallis)

**Oerba Yun Fang (Stage 1): **According to Hope, Fang is 'the scary one'. She's the type to prove that a girl can do anything a guy can and speaks with a thick, foreign accent. She is _very_ protective over Vanille. Age 19. (Bass player of Fabula Nove Crystallis)

**Noctis Lucis Caelum (Stage 1):** The smartest, kickass guy in Hope's household. Although Noctis is the quiet type, he is _very_ athletic and intelligent. Alot of girls swoon over him, but his eyes are only set on Stella. Age 19. (2nd guitar/ drum player of Fabula Nova Crystallis)

**Stella Nox Fleuret (Stage 1):** The best friend of Noctis and the final member of Hope's household. Stella is beautiful and has an obvious crush on Noctis. Age 18. (Piano player of Fabula Nova Crystallis)

**Note:** Don't worry about the quantity. Most of the characters barely show up. And I refuse to put Lightning's real name on here because some people are still playing the game and I don't want to spoil it for them :P. Oh! And don't call me racist because I didn't add Sazh! He was just too old to be in here xD

**OTHER:**

**The Oathkeepers:** The remake of Axel and Roxas' band, now now consisting of Sora, Roxas, Axel, Riku and Hayner.

**The Gullwings:** The band consisting of Tidus, Wakka, Yuna, Paine and Rikku.

**The Advent Children:** The name of the band consisting of Cloud, Aerith, Zack, Tifa, Reno, Cid and Yuffie.

**Fabula Nova Crystallis:** The name of the band consisting of Lightning, Hope, Vanille, Fang, Snow, Noctis and Stella.

**The Organization:** The name of the band consisting of Larxene, Demyx, Zexion, Xemnas, Marluxia and Xigbar.

**The Noize:** The name of the band consisting of Neku, Shiki, Joshua, Beat and Rhyme.

**SeeD:** The name of the band consisting of Squall (Leon), Rinoa, Quistis, Zell and Irvine.

**Furaifer:** The name of the band consisting of Seifer, Fuujin and Raijin.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the song Vertigo by U2.

* * *

**. Chapter V .**

_**. Rock Mafia .**_

**Line of the Chapter:**  
_"I only have on thing to say, and this is directed towards Cloud Strife- bring it on, b****."_

"Namine, please?" Roxas got down on his knees, pleading his girlfriend to explore the island with him.

She twiddled her thumbs, unsure of what to do, "Mm, I don't know... there's a different atmosphere outside these walls. I'll be surrounded by all kinds of people. _Scary_ people! Even Riku scares me already!"

He took her hands in his and placed his forehead against hers, "Namine, I took you here for a vacation. It's not really a vacation when all you do is lock yourself in a house. That's basically Twilight Town in a nutshell. Outside these walls are great oppurtunities. Besides, you only have level 1 agoraphobia. Your range of fear is wider, right? Twilight Town is only an hour away."

"Wh-What if I have another panic attack?"

Roxas shivered at the memory of his precious Namine in fear. She was so fragile- but she was so strong, too. She had made it this far for him. He wanted to make her stronger, and he wanted to protect her.

"I'll be with you the whole time," He kissed her quickly and squeezed her hand, "I'll never let go of your hand."

"Roxas, are you ready? !" Kairi hollered from below. Everyone was waiting by the door, ready to leave.

"We're coming!" He yelled, dragging Namine down the stairs.

"We...?" Kairi watched her cousin walk down the stairs nervously, squeezing Roxas' hand so hard it was red.

"Are you sure, Namine?" She nodded slowly. Kairi patted Roxas' shoulder, "You better protect her with your life."

"My life already belongs to her." Roxas reponded with a smile.

Hayner rolled his eyes, "And this is why I don't want to have a girlfriend."

"No, its just that you can't _get_ a girlfriend." Selphie teased.

Hayner crossed his arms, "Excuse me, but I'll have you know alot of girls wanna have a crack at this. They're all attracted to the beast within my boxers."

Selphie gave him a challenging look, "Please, I wear heels bigger than your... beast." Roxas placed his free hand over his mouth to prevent himself from laughing. Hayner disregarded the comment out of embarassment and headed out the door.

x

"Anybody have anything they want to do?" Sora asked, his hands behind his head. He had cooled himself down before they left.

Although the eight were seemingly 'hanging out' with each other, they were dispersed into groups when they walked down the street. Riku hated Sora, so he walked alongside Xion. Hayner hated Selphie, so he became the third weel among the blond couple. He would occasionally talk to Sora every few seconds. Their discussions were about the song their band was going to play at the auditions three days prior to that day. They had agreed on U2's _Vertigo_; it was rock (probably the most popular music genre on the island), and it was a classic.

Kairi was all smiles and skipped alongside Selphie with Cloud's black sweater tied around her waist. Regardless, she still pulled off a look that made her look like a model. The first person the eight encountered was Axel. He was holding hands with a blond girl who, according to the smell, put too many hair products in her hair. How else could they have stuck out like antennas on the side?

"Roxas, hey!" Axel hollered at said boy with a wave. His best friend quirked a brow at the girl he held hands with. Axel took the hint and brought the rather revealing girl forward, "Oh! Uh, everyone, this is Larxene. My... my... well, I don't exactly know what she is."

Namine cocked her head to the side, "You're holding her hand...?"

"It hasn't really been confirmed that she's my girlfriend," Axel rubbed the back of his head nervously. He let Larxene go cautiously, "We... like each other, but we can't help but flirt with... other people."

Roxas nodded in understanding, "So you're... dealing?"

Larxene placed a hand on her hip and wrapped the other around Axel's shoulders, "Something like that."

"So, anyway," Axel desperately tried to change the subject, "Where are ya guys headed? So far, the line for everything is _insanely_ long except mini golf."

Selphie jumped, "Then why don't we play? Sounds like fun!"

Hayner immediately started heading home, only to be grabbed from behind by Sora, "_We_ suffer, _you_ suffer."

"Which way, Axel?" Roxas asked.

The redhead pointed ahead, "We walk up to that stop sign then turn left. We walk for about five minutes and we should be there." Everyone walked in said direction. Axel's prediction was right. Five minutes on the dot was all it took for them to arrive. Just as they were about to walk into the perky looking entrance, Roxas saw someone familiar walk by him.

"Hope, is that you?"

Said boy with platinum hair turned around and drifted his soft emerald eyes onto his cousin, "R-Roxas!" They man-hugged each other quickly and aknowledged their reunion.

"It's been like... four years!" Roxas ruffled his hair, "Look at how tall you are! You're as tall as me!" Sora giggled from the sidelines, knowing Hope was on the short side when they were young.

"Hey Hope," Sora greeted, "I haven't seen you since we were assigned to our houses; how's your household?"

"Hopefully not full of drama like ours." Roxas winked.

Hope slummed his shoulders, "Actually, I hate it 'cause-"

"C'mon Hope! Let's find a spot on the beach before it gets full!"

Five girls and two boys stood in the far off distance, the girl with the red pigtails calling out to Hope. Every boy in the Hikari household (plus Axel, minus Roxas and Riku) dropped their jaws in astonishment. Hope hated his household? _Hated_ it? He clearly had five hot girls living with him!

Two looked alike; most likely sisters with the same strawberry blonde hair. The youngest held hands with the guy wearing a black bandana on his head; she was clearly taken. The eldest one had a... was that a **gunblade** strapped to her waist?

Before Roxas could comment, Hope raised a hand to stop him, "She's a GC. It's legal."

The other two girls looked like they were foreign. The red-head was bouncing up and down, and Axel couldn't help but notice how attractive she looked doing that. The other had black hair but shone red in the sunlight. She had that authentic thing going on. The final girl had bright dirty blonde hair, giving Larxene a death glare. She had already left Axel's side and began flirting with the dark-haired teen who went by the name of Noctis.

Sora looked as if he were thinking of something important, then gasped at his cousin, "Oh my gosh, I get it now! Hope, the reason you don't have a girlfriend- you're gay, aren't you? !"

Hope slapped him across the top of his head, "N-No! What's wrong with you? I hate my household because its... confusing. I'm the youngest one... I... get left behind alot." The red head snuck up from behind him and pulled her close to him. His head was lowered to her chest; he blushed madly.

"Come on, Hopie!" She dragged him to everyone else, heading towards the beach.

Axel and Larxene were forced to leave, walking towards the mini golf entrance in embarassment. Roxas waved to his cousin and walked through the brick pathway. When they entered, they were surrounded by perfect hedges, plants, fountains and perky objects. There were a few teenagers here and there, and Axel was right. In the line up, there were only two people ahead of them.

Roxas signed them up, and Kairi carried the clipboard for the scoring. She decided she wasn't going to play, and would rather watch. Sora noticed her writing on the paper when she didn't even need to- this made him curious. He watched her from behind and noticed that she was drawing airplanes all over the scores.

"Nice," He complimented. But he began to wonder, _Why airplanes?_

"Thanks." Kairi replied, though she didn't bother to look at him. Sora was shocked; he half-expected her to chuck the clipboard at his head. What could've caused her sudden attitude change? Sora clenched his right fist- he knew well what the answer was. And literally, it was right in front of him.

"I see you like my sweater."

Kairi spun around, coming face to face with (according to Sora),_ The Bitch_. "Cl-Cloud!"

He grinned, "Good afternoon, Kairi."

She blushed; the way he said her name was different... far _smoother_ than everyone else. It couldn't help but remind her of how Sora sai- "Kairi?"

"Sora?" She whispered. He stood in front of her, waving his hand in her face. He stood in front of Cloud, cockblocking their moment.

"Our friends have moved on." Sora pointed three holes ahead of them.

"Oh! Uh, thanks..." Kairi began untying the sweater from her waist. Cloud took her hand and shook his head, "Keep it."

"Are you-"

"Keep it."

Sora rolled his eyes and took Kairi's wrist, "Let's go, Kai."

She was in a daze and didn't notice Sora holding her hand. "Thanks for the sweater! I'll see you around!"

He winked at her as he walked back to his friends, "You can count on that."

Sora kept a tight grip on Kairi's wrist, surprised she hadn't beat the living daylights out of him yet. It was like they were dating again. But in a few moments, Kairi snapped out of her daze, whacked Sora with her clipboard and shoved a golf ball into his mouth.

* * *

"I'm hungry."

"We _just_ started practice."

"But I can't play with an empty stomach!"

"You're not even playing an instrument!"

Hayner placed a hand over his grumbling stomach, "Can we just... order pizza?"

Riku twitched, "We've been eating pizza for three days straight."

Hayner paid no attention to him and began dialing a number on the phone, "Let's change it up, then. Maybe... all meat this time?"

"No can do," Roxas adjusted the volume on his amplifier (provided by the island), "I'm strictly vegeterian."

Sora clasped his hands together, "It's true! He won't even eat animal crackers."

Axel snickered, "Roxas has always been the girly one."

"You don't eat meat? I thought I knew you, man." Hayner pointed at the door and looked disappointed, "Get out."

"Haha, I'm paying for this house," Roxas flicked Hayner's forehead and pointed at the door. Hayner got the message and walked out the front door where he collided with Olette. He hadn't forgotten that it was Thursday, one of the days Olette was supposed to show up.

"Oh my gosh," He held out a helping hand towards her, "I'm sorry."

The brunette beauty shook her head, "It's okay. What are you doing here?"

"I live here."

"I meant _outside_."

"Roxas kicked me out."

She giggled, accepting his helping hand, "Why?"

Hayner pulled her up, "We were arguing over what food to eat."

"Funny you say that," Olette snapped her fingers and two men approached from behind, "I'm actually here to stock your food today. You won't have to go out or order your food anymore! Or walk all the way to the grocery shop! Convenient, no?"

Hayner sweatdropped, "Not if you can't cook." Olette proceeded in walking into the large beach house and into the kitchen where the men began loading the cupboards. Hayner remained outside, sitting on the swinging bench on the porch.

"Hey guys," Olette greeted the band practicing in the living room, "Practicing for the auditions on Friday?"

"You know it," Axel winked.

"What are you playing?" Olette asked.

Riku answered with his monotone voice, "Vertigo. U2."

"Ah. U2. Lead singer Bono, The Edge, part of the top 100 guitarists in the world, bass player Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. on drums. Smash hit Vertigo released in 2004 along with their album 'How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'. Nice choice."

Axel looked impressed, "You're a fan? No offense, but you don't look the type to be into rock music."

"I'm not," Olette said sincerly, "I just know about alot of things."

Axel tried not to be offensive with his next question, "You're a geek, aren't you?"

"Sorta."

From outside, Hayner was watching his love talk to the band from the window. His hopes fell the instant he found out that Olette was a genius. Not that Hayner wasn't smart (no one got past the whole gamer thing), but compared to Olette, he would seem like the doofus in the relationship. Which, in fact, he was. He sighed in disappointment only to be slapped across the back.

"Ow!"

"Why so serious?" Kairi asked, sitting next to him.

"It's nothing... if anything, its very unlike me and girly." Hayner turned from his position and began rocking the bench back and forth. He hadn't known Kairi for too long, but he felt like he could easily open up to her. She had experienced things like this before, right? Besides, Hayner was a gamer with a soft spot.

Kairi looked a little shocked; she knew Hayner liked her in the sense that she was a gamer, but she didn't expect him to actually tell her how he felt.

She smiled at his sincerity, "It's Olette, isn't it?"

Hayner shrugged, "Maybe. I... don't know her too well."

Kairi giggled, "You know her well enough to develop some feelings for her. What's gotten you so sad about it?"

"She's a genius. I'm... not. You should know just by looking at me that I don't like to lose. Things just won't work out if she's better than me."

"Are you implying that a guy must always be dominant?"

"N-No, just-"

"Calm down, I'm just messing with you."

"Kairi?" Hayner's voice softened, "Can you... not tell anyone about this?"

Kairi gave him a thumbs up, "Your secret is safe with me! Besides, I don't think anyone else even knows you like her."

x

You like Olette.

"Get outta my face."

* * *

After hours of practicing and perfection, the Oathkeepers were able to pass the auditions on Friday and make it to the next round. They would be performing in a much larger stage and were competing against seven other bands. Of course, Cloud Strife's band made it hands down. This angered Sora to his fullest extent. As the lead singer, he would have to pull the weight of the band and entertain the crowd. And the crowd consisted of _thousands_ of **teenagers**. It would be hard, but he had to do it. For the band. For his friends. For Kairi.

The stage was extremely large and technologic, being located at the outdoor ampitheatre at the center of the island. It had a large screen in the background, complete surround sound, stagelights nearly all over the place and a lane that went through to the center of the stadium, the very center being in the shape of a large circle. This would allow the lead singer to interact with the crowd. The cameras were set up in different areas and could circulate the whole area. Every inch of footage would be shown on Teenage Wasteland and viewed by even more teenagers. The first round was on Saturday where the bands would be introduced. They were to play the song they played at the auditions; the band with the least votes would immediately be voted out.

The pressure was on.

x

So Sora, tomorrow is the big day. Anything you wanna say?

_"_I only have on thing to say, and this is directed towards Cloud Strife- bring it on, b****."

* * *

_Saturday, July 3. **8:00pm**_

"There's so many people," Roxas took in a deep breath and stopped peering through the curtains. He could feel the wind from all the cheering people even from backstage, "Think we can pull this off?"

Axel coughed and adjusted the bandana around his neck, "Excuse me? Did Roxas Hikari, previous lead singer of The Oathkeepers, just say that?"

The sunkist blond smirked, "Maybe he's gotten soft."

"You can do it," Namine encouraged from behind, receiving a kiss on the cheek. Namine was able to step out of the beach house as long as she had someone she trusted with her, that _someone_ being Kairi. She constantly needed protection.

The hosts named Zidane and Vaan had already introduced all the bands- the first band called _The Noize_ was already setting up.

"Roxas, Sora!" A voice whispered from the side. Sora snapped his head up, searching for the voice. He found his cousin Hope waving at him from the other side.

"Hope, what are you doing here?" Roxas asked, "Are you performing too?" He nodded with a blush.

"No way! Where's your band?" Sora never thought of his cousin being the musical type.

"Hey squirt, you ready?" A gruffy looking blond wearing a beanie hat placed his calloused hand on Hope's shoulder.

He whimpered, "No. I don't want to do this, Snow. It's embarassing!"

Vanille giggled and wrapped her arms around him, "I think its adorable! You'll do fine!" Sora caught his cousin blushing at the red-head and gave him a teasing thumbs up.

"Come on baby boy," The woman named Fang pushed him onto the stage, "Time to rock."

The first band finished their song, Hope's group being next. He tried weasling out, but Snow beat him to it and threw him onto the stage. The first group did decent, playing a song that was half techno, half metal... if it were possible. The lights dimmed again, Hope's band setting up in the dark. The lights switched back on the instant Snow strummed his guitar.

Sora and Roxas watched proudly from behind the curtains. They were surprised to find that Hope was actually _really good_. It never came to their attention that their cousin was musically talented. They were impressed, and so was Lightning. She watched from the curtains with her arms crossed, trying her best to resist a smile.

Once they were finished, Sora went back to moping by the wall beside Riku. The third band was up; he wasn't even listening at this point.

"Can I really do this?" Sora whispered, speaking to no one in particular. He normally wasn't scared, but the look Cloud was giving him on the other side didn't look promising. It was a sick smirk that he wanted to wipe off his face.

"Of course you can," It was like his conscience answered his question, but it sounded nothing like him, "You're Sora Hikari."

"Tidus? !" Sora looked shocked; he hadn't seen the shaggy blond in about four months. They usually met when their schools would face each other in blitzball matches. The two got along instantly and became close friends. Tidus and Sora did their classic handshake and grinned at their reunion.

"What are you doing here?"

"My girlfriend forced me into going on a vacation with her."

"Girlfriend? Did you finally ask that girl on the glee club?"

"Yup."

"Congratulations, buddy!" Sora pulled him into a manhug.

Tidus felt a little awkward now; he knew about Sora and Kairi's relationship. Kairi was one of his childhood friends, and Sora was one of his best friends. Tidus restrained himself from asking him about the girl, although he was curious. His band was up next, then Sora's band. As Tidus' band performed (from the back, Tidus' girlfriend, Yuna, sounded amazing), The Oathkeepers were getting ready.

Sora was breathing heavily, playing with the hem of his shirt. He wore a plain white v-neck shirt and an unbuttoned red plaid sweater over it, topped with a thin leather jacket. His jeans were the usual dark skinny jeans, and his shoes were the classic black converse. He had that classic _bad boy_ look, as did everyone else in the band. Their outfits were practically the same, except Riku had added more chains, Axel wore his signature bandana around his neck, and Roxas decided to go without the leather jacket.

Hayner, on the other hand, was dressed in all black. He wasn't exactly to be on stage. Instead, he was ordered to control the lighting from the control room. The light system was good, but Hayner could surely make it better so the lights were in their favour.

"You're going to be fine, Sora." Roxas reassured, hearing the crowd cheer from the outside.

Their band name was called, and all four members stepped out with bright smiles on their faces (minus Riku, of course. In fact, he looked downright pissed) Sora wore the most confident smile of all- his personality had completely changed the instant he stepped foot onto the stage. He turned into a confident lead singer that would impress everyone... especially Kairi. He had to show her that he improved over the years- he wasn't fifteen and a half anymore. He was practically an adult. Well... on the outside.

"Ready, Sora?" Hayner spoke into the bluetooth Sora had strapped onto his ear. He gave a thumbs up, signalling Hayner from the control room that he was ready. Hayner was to hack into the computer light system and hook the power into his laptop. He rubbed his hands together, peering through the doorway of the control room at the very back of the stadium.

"Stadium control system is the orchilalcum fx 5000..."

"Can you pull it off?" Sora asked in a worried tone.

"In my sleep, with my tongue."

Hayner crawled into the room unnoticed and pulled a cord off the side, connecting it to his laptop.

He smirked as he typed in some codes, "Kay Sora, I'm in. Step forward... let's see how this baby works." Sora took a step forward, and the spotlight immediately shone over him.

"Excellent," Hayner whispered, "Ready to rock?"

"Tell me where Cloud Strife is first." Sora ordered.

Hayner obliged and took out a small gadget that resembled an iPod touch from his pocket. He typed a few things on the screen, a series of numbers moving around. He was able to hack into the stage cameras to problem, moving one around to search for Cloud Strife. He found him in the crowd with Kairi in the front row of the center.

"He's by the center at the end of the lane with Kairi. And..." He zoomed in, "_Damn _Kairi looks _hot_ tonight! She's got that Megan Fox thing goin' on!"

"Hayner."

"With the leather jacket and-"

"Hayner."

"And that skirt-"

"HAYNER, DAMN! I THOUGHT YOU LIKED OLETTE. STOP CHEATING ON HER." _And stop talking about my ex like that..._

The gamer shone an even brighter spotlight at Sora's face and blinded him. "UM. OW? !"

Hayner rolled his eyes, "Yeah, whatever. Let's just get on with the show shall we?"

Hayner heard muffled voices coming from the control room, "Sir, security has been breached!"

Hayner cursed, hiding his little device. He snuck off to hide under the staircase and created a fort with the boxes he found stacked beside him.

"Okay, get ready. 5, 4, 3, 2..."

Sora gave a thumbs up to Axel and Roxas who began the song; Sora began counting, "Uno, dos, tres, catorce!"

From there, the volume increased and Hayner began playing with the spotlights lined up on the immense arch. Teens who recognized the song began screaming wildly and sang along at some points, given that Sora was a real crowd-pleaser.

"Turn it up loud, captain!" Sora saluted to his brother and winked.

During the chorus, he ran across the lane to center where he touched the hands of a few girls who raised their hands onto the stage. He sang straight at the cameras rotating around him, knowing he was on live television.

Kairi, who was watching from the front row, averted her attention from Cloud to Sora. She looked quite impressed; she knew Sora could sing, but this time... his voice just sounded so much more older and experienced. His voice (regardless of how young it was compared to the real singer) matched the song perfectly.

Roxas was flawless, as usual. It looked like his guitar was a part of his body, unlike Riku. He was stiff, though his fingers weren't. Axel looked like he'd break the drums anytime soon, but somehow, they were sturdy enough to withstand Axel's power. Axel and Roxas sang back up here and there, and during the guitar solo, Sora joined his brother by playing back-to-back, earning a few screams from the girls. Xion looked awestruck- Sora really was amazing. He was a whole new person on that stage.

Then at one point of the song, Sora sung the lyrics straight at Cloud and pointed at him with the lights dimmed, "Just gimme what I want... and no one gets hurt."

Kairi shivered; she knew what he was talking about.

In the end, their performance was perfect and fun; the crowd went wild. Even Kairi was clapping with Namine and Cloud on either side of her. Sora bowed clumsily before walking backstage with the rest of the band who began jumping up and down in excitement (minus Riku...again).

"That was so _kickass_!" Axel picked up Sora and twirled him around, "I've never heard you sing it like that! You were freaking _posessed_!"

"Excellent job," Hayner complimented from the bluetooth. He dimmed the lights after and was able to escape the guards searching for him, "I'm surprised they didn't catch me."

Sora smirked and walked up to Cloud who came backstage and began setting up for his performance.

"You did good." Cloud muttered, and pulled Kairi to him to make Sora jealous.

The brunet merely poked him in the chest, "Your daddy's security system sucks."

**In the next chapter:**

_"Xion and Riku look so cute together!"_

_"W-wow, you're really getting the hang of that grenade launcher."_

_"I did not sign up for this." _

_"Bring your armour, people! We're going on a little adventure!"_

_"You broke up with that?"_

* * *

**I have not felt more free in my life. It's done. ITS FINALLY DONE. Can you believe I just started high school when I finished Masquerade? My first year is already over. Which means... I've officially been writing Kingdom Hearts chapter stories for one year :D Anyways, my exams went perfectly fine... except the last one O.e It was just so tricksy D: **

**Oh, and U2. I freaking love them. I haven't heard of them until like... a few months ago when I went to the rock n roll hall of fame and saw their 3D concert! I instantly fell in love them. I swear, if you like rock music, go listen to Vertigo. EPIC, MAN. Now, I need to go into a few details of this chapter. There was actually supposed to be this little scene where they describe Hope's presentation... but it was far too unlike me to put it on here!**

**Remember how Snow asked him if he was ready and Hope said he was embarassed? Reason being because he was going to sing Justin Bieber xD Sorry if you like him, but sometimes I just find him annoying. But that damn 'Baby' song is catchy ! I just find it funny how Hope is so young and the voice oddly matches him O.e**

**And with Hayner's little device hacking thingy... you can thank Iron Man 2 for that.**

**And if you're interested to find out what song the other bands sang, here it is (and I know alot of their presentations are missing, but I don't want to bore you with the details, so here they are) **

**The Noize- Hello Fascination (Breathe Carolina), The Gullwings- Real Emotion (Yuna), The Organization- Cherry Bomb (The Runaways), The Oathkeepers- Vertigo (U2), Fabula Nova Crystallis- Baby (Justin Bieber ft. Ludacris) and if you have to ask... Snow was Ludacris xD The Advent Children- Welcome to The Jungle (Guns n Roses), SeeD- Somebody Told Me (The Killers), Furaifer- Highway To Hell (AC/DC)**

**Anyway, time to reply to your awesometastic reviews! ****Oh! I forgot. You guys need a trivia question. **

**TRIVIA: Who is my favourite Square Enix BOY character? And no. It's not Hope.**

**TheLuau: your name is Luau? That's EPIC. They celebrated you x) And I'm sure this chapter wasn't crying worthy :P**

**Stargazer-Aika: LOL everyone wants to kill Cloud now don't they? And no, Sora was just having a mental breakdown. He wasn't serious about Cloud only wanting Kairi to get some xD He was just trying to insult Cloud as much as he could without even thinking about his words. Typical Sora xP So keep your respect for Cloud... I still have it xD**

**Kain Everguard: I know eh? I wanna see someone do that in real life. **

**TaylorrrStrife: Aww, you know that's no problem at all! And Spirited Away? Such a touching movie :) And LOL everytime I hear California Girls I sing along to the version by cousin and I made about Hope Estheim... "Palumpolum boys we're undeniable! Six pack abs with nothing on top!" :P That was actually something that happens in a later chapter so... damn, sorry for the spoiler xD NO ONE ELSE READ THIS, GOT IT? xP And you hate Xion D: She's my KH twin :O**

**PyrusBlaikeRyder: I feel bad for Cloud now. Everyone pretty much wants to kill him and call him an ass x)**

**frozenflower716: shouldn't you be studying, vanessa-chan? Well, not anymore since we FINISHED ALL OUR EXAMS. FREEEEDDDOMMMM. SWEETTT FREEDOM. And you know, Mharc died I think eight times trying to fight that dinosaur in gran pulse... idiot doesn't even have five thousand health yet xD**

**Suzumiya Haruka: School just started for you? D: Oh, be strong. Be strong... mine just finished but I have to go back in eight days O.e**

**xocherry: OMFG YES. EQAO CAN GO -insert inappropriate comments here- And i think what you said made sense. In translation, you said "Focus on I don't know the class of french first" And brunet isn't an error. Brunet= boy Brunette= girl... I just learned that xD**

**Kaze the Renegade: Oh goodie its still up to the standards :D And you shouldn't feel bad until later on when their secrets are revealed -smiles darkly- x)**

**Hearts in The Twilight: omg i know right? You'll never catch Sora swearing the real game. The worse he gets is "What a hag!"... like really. Sora. You're fifteen. JUST CALL MALIFICENT A BITCH. x)**

**Craxuan: You were warned in chapter one. :)**

**EternallySky: of COURSE there are ff couples! It wouldn't be a Kyorii story if there wasn't any xP And as much as I want Hope all too myself (lol), I have to pair him up with someone but I can't decide between Lightning or Vanille D:**

**NightFlacon26: thanks :) And it should be pretty obvious right about now- Xion was the one who kissed Sora D:**

**Jared Someone: Helloo my dear big brother :D And here comes another tale about how a certain friend was being a dick... again... getting tired of my whining about HIM yet? By the way, I'm still considering about going to Australia... maybe when I'm older. And you're an adult x) **

**SaphireWaves: kay, when I read you were going to make reference to this story, I smiled so hard my lips hurt xD So yes, OF COURSE you can make reference :D**

**TinaaLovesMints: You lucky lucky, I had to wait five days after you until my sweet freedom D: and thanks :)**

**DragoNik: lol no I don't study for gym- we have this physical testing thing and unfortunately I could barely run because SOMEONE (cough my brother cough) whacked me in the knee with his badminton racket O.e And really? I've never seen Prince of Persia. I want to, though. Was it any good?**

**Ah. Summer. Feels freaking nice x) Well thanks for all your support so far guys! I love you so much! Now you know the drill from here- sorry for the grammar errors and please don't forget to review! Mwaaahhh!**

**xoKyorii**


	6. Survival Of The Fittest

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

* * *

**. Chapter VI .**

_**. Survival of the Fittest .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"Bring your armour, people! We're going on a little adventure!"_

"Smile for me."

"_No_," Riku glared at his best friend, "You know why I'm pissed."

They sat across from each other on the patio table with Xion casually slipping her hand onto the center of the circular glass table, "Riku, please."

He crossed his arms, "Why... why did you insist on me playing for that mother-"

"Riku!" He raised his hands in front of his chest, "I'm just saying! He just... bugs me."

Xion quirked a brow, "Why?"

Riku could've sworn he was going to confess at that very moment- it was perfect, too. The sun was setting, none of their annoying housemates were outside and the waves were at ease. But he couldn't; not now. They had only been on vacation for a week and a half and they barely got any time alone. Not only that, but...

Aqua was spying on them from behind a bush. He didn't want his confession publicized. But nonetheless, he didn't want to leave Xion's question unanswered. She was the type to bring it up again somehow.

"He's annoying and childish." _He's hurt you so many times and you're still in love with him... why?_

Xion stood up with an expressionless face, walking behind Riku, placing her soft hands on his shoulders. She began to massage them gently; Riku tried his best to hold in a sigh. The touch sent shivers down his spine, tickling him a little. It was such a relief from the beating he received before- when his parents found out he was going out of town, they were outraged and said they would be nothing but cruel to him when he got back. But it was worth it to spend two months with Xion.

"You'll get passed that," She whispered, "He's a wonderful person. Like you. I know you'll understand."

Riku blushed and the uneasy breaths by his ear; he caught Aqua giving him a teasing thumbs up from the far-off bush with Pence filming beside her. He stuck up the middle finger at her when Xion wasn't looking.

x

"Oh my gosh," Selphie squealed from the living room, "Xion and Riku look so _cute_ together!"

The remainder of the household was spying on them from the large living room windows, and that was including Axel. He was practically part of their household- he visited them everyday and stayed there until midnight. Roxas was surprised to see that he hadn't moved in yet.

For once the household was at peace; no arguing, no pulling of the hair, and no insulting of the manhoods. Reason being that they all concentrated on one thing- if they weren't, there would be some arguing and whatnot. Everyone in the household at least had one person they couldn't stand (except Riku; he hated everyone except Xion), and that resulted in constant fights.

Aqua disapproved of this, but when she re-entered the household (after she was done stalking Riku), she found them all huddled together by the windows. She grinned- at least they had the _potential_ to get along.

"Hayner, get your fat _foot_ off mine!"

"Get your fat _ass_ outta my face!"

Selphie and Hayner started slapping each other, knocking over the whole group. Sora ended up being on top of Kairi, his face inches above hers. He was on all fours with Kairi vulnerable to any of his actions.

"Well Kairi, doesn't this remind you of the time we-" She kneed him in his babymakers before he could even continue the horrid sentence.

Aqua sweatdropped, ordering Pence to shut off the camera, "Well, it was nice while it lasted."

* * *

"You can't cook for chiz!" Hayner spit out his food the next morning; he was having a rather unpleasant brunch.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Sora said with a smirk. If there was something Sora wasn't good at, it was most definately cooking. He was amazing at everything else, but just like everything that was perfect, there had to be a flaw.

Hayner crossed his arms, "How do you manage to mess up turning on a stove?"

"Hey," Sora protested, "The knobs are complicated, okay?"

Roxas half-laughed and took Sora's... _creation_ from the center of the dining table. "I'll make food. All of you just... do something until I'm done making brunch." Roxas was always the culinary twin. Everyone dispersed into small groups, occupying the living room. Hayner, of course, started playing Modern Warfare. This time, Kairi was playing with him and she was doing fairly well. Everyone else just watched in silence.

The doorbell rang- Sora purposely walked as slowly as possible to answer the door to taunt Hayner. It was Tuesday; Olette was supposed to visit today. Hayner threw a pillow at the brunet as he opened the door and greeted their stocker. She announced that she didn't bring anything with her today; she just came for a friendly visit. She sat next to Hayner who desperately tried to hide the pink tint on his cheeks.

"Is that Modern Warfare 2?" She asked.

Hayner's heart skipped a beat, "You play?" She shook her head; his heart sank.

"I heard the sales for it went through the roof," She tapped her chin, "How do you play?" Kairi handed Olette her controller and told her what each button did. Olette clicked the left button and her screen tilted a little.

"That's the grenade launcher mode," Kairi pointed at a button on the right hand side, "You shoot by pressing R1." Hayner decided to go easy on her. She might think he was bragging if he used his real skills on her. But little did he know that Olette was well aware of who he was. Hayner was at the top of the charts when it came to gaming and Olette always fancied herself with the latest news all over the worlds.

Olette spun her gun around and aimed the grenade perfectly at Hayner, killing his character.

"Nice shot." He complimented; not once had he been killed for about eight months. But he was perfectly fine with it. Olette just got lucky.

x

"W-Wow you're really getting the hang of that grenade launcher."

"It's simple physics," Olette said calmly (she didn't look all too surprised that she killed one of the universe's best gamers twenty times in a row), "Parabolic motion. Study of the basic arch." Hayner twitched as he died again. He actually began trying halfway through the game but Olette was just too fast and had perfect aim.

"Food's ready! Anyone wanna eat?" Roxas hollered from the kitchen.

Riku smiled (for once) and laughed half-heartedly as he sat upside down on a couch, "And miss the oppurtunity of watching Hayner's sorry ass get kicked? Pass."

"Think you can do better?" Hayner challenged, holding the controller out to the albino haired boy. He admitted he couldn't, only to earn a laugh from the devil himself.

"So you insult him knowing you can't beat him?" Sora laughed, "And you say I'm childish."

Xion sensed that Riku was tensing up so she held him down. _Be mature, Riku. Be mature. Just because he's satisfied with your pain it does not give you a reason to beat his face in. Be mature. For Xion. Be ma-_

"Oh screw this."

Riku lunged toward the other couch and began hitting Sora who defended himself and hit Riku back occasionally. Meanwhile, Roxas was trying to get Kairi to eat. She was stubborn and shook her head.

"Kairi, eat or I'll be forced you spoon feed you. You didn't even eat dinner last night!"

Namine giggled, "That's because she was walking with Cloud last night." Sora hissed from the couch.

Roxas continued to lecture Kairi about how she needed some meat on her bones only to have Kairi ignore him. Xion was trying to pry Riku off Sora, Selphie was teasing Hayner about how pathetic he was (which angered him), and Olette just sat and witnessed the terror. The living room was a riot and Aqua, who was filming from the second floor, slapped her forehead. She stomped down the spiral staircase and took the bullhorn from Ventus' hands.

"For the love of all that is good... CUT IT OUT!" Everyone stopped; it was the first time they've ever seen Aqua so agitated. Steam was practically coming out of her ears, "Goodness gracious, you guys can't go through a day without fighting can you? ! You're all impossible!"

"Aqua-" Sora tried, but was cut off.

"Don't Aqua me! You've been here for what? A week and a half and you look like you're about to kill each other? ! I did not sign up for this." She threw the bullhorn to the ground and stormed out the door.

"Aqua wait!" Sora yelled. She stopped by the doorway. "We can get along," Sora reassured, "We can try! Starting now." He turned to Riku and held out his hand, "I love you, Riku."

The emo kid had the instinct to slap the brunet in the face but resisted. "Okay, I am _not_ telling this kid I love him." Aqua scoffed and continued to head out the door.

Hayner threw a pillow at Riku, "You idiot! You could've at least _pretended_ you liked Sora! Now we can't become movie stars!"

Riku growled, "Not my fault she's an impatient bi-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Ventus threatened, "Aqua's alot of things, but she's not a... _that_. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to save your chances of becoming movie stars and get my best friend back."

"And... cut!" Pence shut off the camera with a grin, "Wow, that was awesome!"

He began munching on some chips he took from his bag. Outside, Ventus ran after the teary Aqua. He called out her name over and over, but she didn't look back once. She kept on running but there was nowhere to run to. Ventus (being the track star he was), finally caught up with her and seized her by the shoulders. She wasn't crying, but she looked like she could burst at any second.

"Aqua, look at me." She refused. "Look at me."

"Why, Venny?" She clenched her fists, "Three years now and we fail to make the cut on Teenage Wasteland. Why try when don't make it every year? The audience wants something interesting- not a crapload of teenagers fighting every five seconds."

Ventus sighed, "Aqua, if we keep trying, we're bound to get some good material. You're giving up so easily; that's not the Aqua I know. And besides, this fighting is _good_. It has action and drama (unlike that boring household we had last year. Yeesh)- I know it can get annoying but we can... lessen it, if you want."

"Its impossible to get them to-"

He placed a finger over her lips (causing her to blush inwardly), "See, right there. _Impossible_. Right when you say that word, it truly becomes impossible because you're not going to _try_."

Aqua whimpered against his touch; she hated it when he was right. "Fine, I'll try. But I assure you my tolerance is way lower than before. Now, do you have any ideas to calm them down? A way to... help them get along?"

Ventus smirked.

* * *

The next day, Sora awoke to the sound of clanging and shuffling. It must've been loud, considering that he was on the third floor. Sora always was the light sleeper. He groggily walked down the staircase, rubbing the back of his head gingerly.

"What the heck is going on?" When he got to the living room, everyone was already dressed and ready for the day. "What the-"

The living toom was a complete mess; there was sports equipment everywhere along with some other activities. By the look on their faces, everyone was also curious as to what was going on. Olette lugged in a few more items and tossed them to the pile of equipment. Ventus was checking off things on his checklist with a triumphant smile on his face.

"What's going on?" Roxas asked, "I don't think I paid for this."

"You didn't," Aqua said with a yawn, "We did."

"Yeah. Why?"

Ventus ingnored Roxas and punched a fist into the air entusiastically, "Bring your armour, people! We're going on a little adventure!"

x

The eight stood in a single file line, arms crossed with impatient faces. The sun was bugging them and the sand beneath them was scorching hot. Ventus thought it would be fun if the eight were to engage in a series of team activities. Almost everyone was against it (especially Sora; all he wanted to do was practice for the next round of Battle of The Bands. Ever since he saw Cloud's flawless Guns n Roses performance, he just wanted to kick his ass even more), but there was a slint in Ventus' eyes that scared the living daylights out of them; even Riku.

Their first task was swimming- they would dry off easily along the way. Ventus split them up into two teams; Sora, Kairi, Riku and Namine versus Hayner, Selphie, Roxas and Xion. They were to race across the ocean (only up to where Aqua was standing of course, which was about 25 meters away) and take turns. The first team to finish would claim victory. Everyone's swimsuits were already worn under their clothes- all they had to do now was remove them. The instant Sora took off his shirt, Kairi was paralyzed.

Selphie gaped from behind, "You broke up with _that_?"

For a second, Kairi found it impossible, too. Sora had the six-pack abs and perfect muscles against his keen tan skin. Where did all his scrawnyness go?

"Someone got busy over the summer." Namine giggled from the sidelines, admiring her own shirtless boyfriend. Namine decided that she wasn't going to swim; she didn't know how, considering that she'd locked herself indoors for more than half her life. Riku knew how to swim- he just didn't feel like it this time. He wasn't going shirtless in front of all these strangers.

That left Sora and Kairi alone on their team to do two laps each, which was no problem considering that Sora was the athletic twin and that Kairi grew up on an island.

"Y'know, steroids aren't good for you." Kairi said sourly to her ex, stepping into the rather cold water.

He struck a pose, "You like it, don't you? This was all for you. And if I do say so myself, you are _very_ attractive, Kairi Lovelock. Inside and out."

"Cut the crap." She retorted. Although, any guy would have to admit; Kairi + a red tankini = _heaven_.

Xion watched from the sidelines, not believing that Kairi could refuse Sora of all people. She was one lucky girl, and she didn't see it. Her eyes saddened at the look on Sora's face; he was mesmerized by Kairi, regardless of the fact that she pushed him away.

_Did that kiss... mean nothing to him at all? _From afar, Riku was trying his hardest to stop staring at how gorgeous his best friend looked in her swimsuit.

Aqua blew the whistle, and as expected, Sora and Kairi were victorious. Sora cheered, splashing water all over the place only to have Kairi slap him across the head. The next event was volleyball, which Riku decided to participate in (due to Xion's endless begging; at this point, he'd do anything for her. He couldn't afford to lose her.) Namine didn't participate, once again. She was never the sporty type. Luckily for her, Axel had arrived for his daily visit and took her place in the game. He too, had the perfect six pack and played shirtless.

Hayner, being the only one without an actual pack (unless a one-pack counted), felt out of place and threw his shirt back on. Olette giggled from beside Pence who was filming the whole thing. Volleyball was evenly matched, if it weren't for Sora and Kairi's tag-teaming. Both were volleyball experts (volleyball being the only sport Kairi was good at) and played as if the sport was natural for them.

The other team could barely return Sora's spikes, mostly because they were shocked that the two were actually working together. And the fact that Roxas was the only one who knew how to play. Hayner was better with virtual games, Selphie was afraid to break a nail, and Xion had a wrist problem.

The third event only included Sora and Riku. Ventus was aware that the two clearly didn't get along, so he would make them work together and exercise at the same time. The two teens did the splits across from each other and practiced their stretching; now Ventus forced them to take each others hands and pull towards one direction. Sora leaned back, so Riku leaned forward. When Riku leaned back, Sora moved forward. When both sat upright, they slid their right foot towards the other person's babymakers on purpose and rolled on the sand in pain.

The fourth event involved everyone, including Namine. In fact, it was all about Namine. Being afraid of the outdoors, she was also afraid of heights. Aqua came up with the idea of letting them work together and make Namine feel like everyone was there to back her up. To do this, they all carried Namine at the same time and put her as high as they could. So far, that was the only successful and fair event.

"At least we're making progress." Aqua muttered.

The next event was dodgeball; finally, something Selphie would be good at. She was always the type to run away from danger. Axel substituted for Namine again. The eight played on the tennis court without the net set up; this way, there were boundaries. Aqua blew the whistle, and in about three seconds flat, everyone on the other team was knocked out except Roxas.

Kairi whipped the ball at the back of Sora's head, missing Roxas on purpose.

"HEY!" The childish brunet yelled, "What was that for? !"

"Sorry," The look on Kairi's face obviously said that she didn't mean anything she was saying, "It was an accident." _Just like dating you, of all people_.

Axel threw the ball at his best friend, only to have him catch it. Hayner was let back in the game with black ink smeared across his face, making him look like a football player. He was going for more of the soldier look, though. The stance he imitated made him look like, according to Selphie, Arnold-what's-his-name.

Riku chucked the ball at Roxas' leg which richocheted onto Hayner's arm, knocking them both out. Team two had lost once again; the odds definately weren't in their favour.

* * *

The sun was already setting, and the Hikari household was still at it with the events. Team 2 actually won an event- badminton, while Team 1 excelled in everything else. Even number fifteen consisted of Sora and Kairi in thick sumo suits. To express their anger towards each other (well, Kairi's anger), Aqua thought it would be healthy if the two battled it out on the shore with armour and plastic keyblades.

Kairi's eyes were blazing with fire and her lips formed a sick smirk; she couldn't wait to beat him up. Sora, on the other hand, looked terrified as hell. When Ventus blew the whistle, he could've sworn he ran away screaming like a girl but Kairi had already pinned him to the ground and began whacking his armoured face with the keyblade. He winced against her strong slashes- oh my, did he really hurt her _that_ badly? Not to mention that it wasn't his fault, it was-

"Okay Kairi! He's had enough!" Ventus announced into the bullhorn.

Hayner was filming the whole thing with his little iPod like device with a smirk on his face, "No, not yet Ventus. Let her keep going! It's getting good! Ooh, ow! That's gotta hurt! This is so going on youtube!"

x

Nightfall came and everyone in the household had sleeping bags set up around a campfire by the shore. There was no other way to bond other than sleeping beside each other, which was Ventus' theory. His theories weren't well respected; especially by Sora and Riku. The two were to be handcuffed together for two days to improve their understanding on each other. Aqua's theory of bringing the family together consisted of a baby simulator doll.

Everyone was to work together and raise the baby doll for a week- Selphie was the most excited about this. Everyone argued for a name until Hayner got irritated and suggested they name the baby 'Baby'. Everyone hushed up and agreed. At the moment, Sora was feeding the baby and looked quite handsome doing it. Roxas was playing soft songs on his acoustic guitar, seranading his girlfriend.

Kairi had been nonstop texting Cloud that night- Sora looked like he was about to crush the fake baby bottle in his hand. It was midnight, and Ventus insisted on lights out. So far, the verdict of the day was unsuccessful. Not much bonding had been done, but it was enough to make Aqua stay. More potential was shown that day than ever before.

Roxas cuddled next to Namine who slept beside Selphie. Riku was in the middle of Selphie and Xion, and Xion was next to Sora. She desperately tried to keep her distance but it was hard to do so, considering that Riku and Sora were handcuffed together. Sora wanted to sleep next to Kairi, but Axel already took the spot in front of him.

"Cockblocker." Sora hissed.

Axel only winked, "It's what I'm known for."

"Is it safe to have Axel cuddled next to Kairi like that?" Namine whispered in worry.

"Pish posh. If anything, Axel has a great respect for women," Roxas reassured.

"Axel. Hand. Off ass. Now." Kairi growled, slapping his hands away. Sora five-starred Axel's back from where he slept, which caused the red-head to scream in pain. He had been terribly sunburned that day. Silence fell upon all of them until Baby started crying. The first time Riku heard the sound, he wanted to destroy the little doll. Now, crying for about the hundredth time (literally), Riku was irritated beyond belief.

He took the baby and chucked it into the campfire where the crying eased and eventually stopped as it burned to ashes. Everyone rested in a comfortable silence after that and fell asleep soon enough. For once, there was complete peace and silence, minus the soft waves crashing on the shore. Other than that, everything was perfect... until it started raining in the middle of the night.

**In the next chapter:**

_"I'll always love you, Kairi. Always, I promise."_

_"Want to throw away your life so easily?"_

_"You swore to protect me, and that's exactly what you've done."_

_"Don't go... please..."_

* * *

**Hooray for early updates! Since this was an early update, there's not much for me to say. Except for the fact that i got an iPad for my surprisingly awesome grades on my exams :D (In fact I thought I'd flunk math but I ended up with an 87% overall xD) Actually, I never really wanted an iPad, but my parents bought me one anyway xD **

**At first I didn't think it was all too awesome, but now its just epic :D. YOU CAN SING TO IT. My iTouch now looks like a noob compared to this epic awesomeness. Speaking of epic awesomeness, who here actually playes Final Fantasy XIII? It's bugging me how I can't kill these two things. If you haven't gotten up to chapter eleven, guess you have no idea what I'm talking about :).**

**Anyway, its the Neochu and the giant cactus. STUPID GIANT CACTUS. MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A NOOB. You feel all high and mighty getting five stars on every battle then YOU CANT KILL A FREAKING CACTUS. Seriously. GAWSH. And I cut my hair. I think I just went from Kairi to Xion :P I don't know if that's a good or bad thing xD**

**Well anyway, I'm pretty sleepy right now. I just got home from a really bad storm and my singing recital and my contacts lenses have been on too long so my eyes are KILLING me. Before I go to sleep, I'll reply to your reviews and give you the answer to the trivia question.**

**TRIVIA ANSWER: Unfortunately, no one was right. My favourite square enix boy is none other than the handsome Roxas ;) By the way, I've noticed, half the words from my chapters come from author's notes xD**

**LadyOlanthe: LOL regardless of how many times you used the word golden, I greatly appreciate it :) And thanks for the yummy cookies xD**

**Sovereign Beta: To be honest, I've never really been a fan of BoB, but thats just my opinion and I've only heard two songs from him xD And YES, The Megan Fox thing... I was watching Transformers 2 while writing the chapter lol.**

**Sunset of Eternity: As hot as Cloud Strife is, he isn't my favourite :P. Roxas ftw! And thanks :)**

**SaphireWaves: LOL I think you're the only one who caught on to the kyorii day thing. I actually never celebrated it :P And no, it isn't Sora xD Unexpected that its Roxas, huh? No one expects that from me xP. And HOPE ESTHEIM IS THE CUTEST THING ON THIS PLANET. I love how I just called him a thing... x)**

**DreamStation369: OMG i know right? It's such an epic song! I have like. Ten remixed versions on my iPod :P And thank you, that really means alot :D -cries tears of joy-**

**xXPrincessMXx: "Get outta my face" is Hayner's way of being original xP. And if you want them to get back together, you'll just have to stay tuned :)**

**TaylorrrStrife: These early updates may not last due to the hell I like to call SUMMER SCHOOL. Aughh, why the hell did I even take it? Clearly I was drunk when I took the form x) Guess I was drunk on... Hope Estheim x) Iron Man 2 was EPIC. Except I watched it at midnight and nearly fell asleep xD**

**MindReader13: Thanks, that means alot :D And I know about the dialoge problem; if I were to do it the proper way, the chapter would look far too spread out xP And you're almost at 100%? Damn. I'm in the middle of levelling up xP And do you know how to get a trapezohedron crystal by any chance?**

**Stargazer-Aika: Funny you suggest that idea- there actually is a karaoke chapter xD But that's later on :P**

**Kaze the Renegade: :O That's a pretty open secret. And YES. ACDC FTW. Someone who understands! xD And I agree with you on Bieber :)**

**Jared Someone: heheee we're talking on msn right now xD HI BROTHER!**

**TheLuau: So, you just finished tenth grade or are going to it? Because I'm going to tenth grade :D FINALLY IM NOT A NINER! OR... A FRESHIE X) **

**Suzumiya Haruka: Slow down on the Cloud killing there; he's about to do something unforgivable xD**

**DragoNik: LOL its what a brother is supposed to do to his little sister x) And yes, my exams are over so I will update sooner, like now :D I love summer vacation, but I do have to go back for summer school. But nonetheless, I'll still be updating :) And its summer, too! Perfect time to write a summer fic :)**

**DragonLordRay: LOL CHOCOFRO. That word just got stuck in my vocabulary xD AND ZOMG I KNOW. POOR HOPE, SINGING BIEBER. BLAME JAKE. HE DID IT. AND LOL I KNOW. SNOW AS LUDACRIS? If you listen to the song and hear the ludacris part and think of snow, you'll laugh your ass off xD**

**NightFlacon26: of course its the count that matters :D Thank you so very much!**

**TinaaLovesMints: OMG YES GO CHECK OUT VERTIGO. I WILL STALK YOU UNTIL YOU DO XD. And I know. Eff summer school. Why did I even take that form? -insert anime tears here- **

**Craxuan: A sensation not worth repeating D: Kinda hard to believe- its the feeling like you're on top of the world! I know what you mean though. I was dancing on a table with my friends, and as much as I miss it, the thought is just REALLY embarassing xD**

**EternallySky: aww thanks x3 And of course I add FF people! It's like... a commandment for me ! xP And I like Hope x Vanille better too- kinda fits more :) Then I saw the scene where she slapped him in the face... I LOL'd. And I wonder where I get these crazy ideas, too xD**

**Hearts in the Twilight: I think you're the only one who knows that song here xD THANK GOODNESS SOMEONE KNOWS IT. WOO! And no, it isn't Zack Fair, but you're not a terrible guesser x) If anything, my friends are. We were playing this game at an amusement park and we had to find out the age of this woman so we could win a prize, and we were all guessing like 30 and higher... turns out she was only fifteen LOL**

**frozenflower: ACTUALLY, you don't need vanille's eidolon. The only reason you would use her is for her 'Death' ability. Any eidolon will bring that dinosaur to its feet x) I tried it with Hope- MY HUSBAND KICKED ASS :P And the anime is HILARIOUS. **

**Well, off to nighty night I go! By the way, does anyone know as to why I can't sleep right anymore? I wake up too early for my own good and I NEVER sleep in regardless of how much I want to. I'm forced to wake up. Is that normal O.O Anyway, thank you for all your support, I love you, please review and sorry for any grammar errors!**

**xoKyorii**


	7. Nostalgia

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!)**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Seifer Almasy (Stage 1/2):** Kairi's sworn enemy. His girlfriend and father were arrested by Kairi's foster father (which just so happened to be the Mayor) back on Destiny Islands for both their foolish antics. He swore to take revenge on Kairi someday; she took his love, he'll take hers. Age 18.

**Fuujin (Stage 1):** A member of Seifer's posse and is famous for her one-word responses. Age 18.

**Raijin (Stage 1):** The third member of Seifer's posse and is famous for adding 'y'know' at the end of every sentence. Age 18.

**Sora Hikari (Stage 1):** The loving, caring boyfriend of Kairi. Age 15.

**Kairi Emori Lovelock (Stage 1):** The head over heels girlfriend of Sora. Age 15.

* * *

**. Chapter VII .**

_**. Nostalgia .**_

**Line of the Chapter:**  
_"I'll always love you, Kairi. Always, I promise."_

**Destiny Island shoreline, approximately 2 years ago, 5:50pm**

"Augh, you kissed me!" Roxas whined, dunking his head into the orange looking ocean due to the reflection of the sunset. He slapped his lips over and over until he accepted what just happened to him; he, Roxas Hikari, had just kissed a guy. And not just any guy, but it _had_ to be his best friend.

Axel did nothing but laugh at Roxas' suffering, "Come on Roxie, I know you liked it. Besides, it was an accident!"

The brunet merely glared at him, "I tripped over a log and _you_ caught me!"

"Exactly! It's not my fault- you tripped first!"

In the middle of their bickering, a rather serious looking Sora ran up to the two, breathless, "Have any of you seen Kairi?"

Roxas pointed towards the ocean, "Yeah, she's over there by the pier."

Axel shrugged, "She looked kind of depressed when we tried to comfort her. Did you do something? Get into a fight, maybe? Did you forget to bring protection again?" That earned him a slap to the face.

"Moron! We haven't... um, done _that_ yet. And I-I don't plan to until we're married!" To save himself from further embarassment, Sora ran towards the nearly wrecked pier. At the end was his lover dressed in a pink sundress, hugging her knees while keeping her head down. He quickly took the seat next to her and placed an arm around her shoulders, "I heard your father arrested Seifer's girlfriend this morning... you okay?" _Course she's not okay, dumbass. She looks like she's about to cry!_

"Yeah," Her voice broke, "I-I'm fine."

"Even I can tell that's a lie," She was quickly pulled to his chest, "What happened?"

"At court," She began, "My father was present... and made the final decision. He officially arrested her. I-I mean, she deserved it, right? She practically killed someone! A-And Seifer..."

Sora's eyes were clouded with worry, "What did he do?"

Kairi shook her head, "You don't need to worry about that."

He turned her to face him, "I'm your boyfriend. I'm worrying."

She sighed and leaned into his touch, "He threatened me."

"What? !" Sora practically yelled but was silenced by Kairi. He began to whisper, "What did he say? !"

"He told me th-that... since he c-couldn't go after my dad, he'd go after m-me instead." She sobbed, "He told me i-it was only fair that since I took his love fr-from him, he'll take mine from me. H-He's going to go after you, Sora! I don't want you to get hurt! I don't w-want you to leave!"

_Tch, idiot... _"He's not going to hurt us, got it? I'm going to stay. I'm not leaving. I'll make darn sure I'll stay here with you at all costs, okay? I'm never going to leave you. I'm yours forever." He stuck out his pinky towards her.

She intertwined hers with his as well, "Thank you, Sora." There was something about his voice that told her he was telling the truth- she had no doubt that they would always be together.

"Wanna get some ice cream?" He suddenly asked.

She lightly punched his shoulder, "Sora! We just went through a dramatic moment, and all you can think of is ice cream?"

"I-I'm just hoping it can cheer you up," That was a half-lie, "Come on, Kairi!"

She giggled as they both stood up, "You're so childish. Lucky you're cute."

He quickly stole a chaste kiss from her lips, "And a good kisser." She punched his arm again, then changed her expression.

Sora didn't expect what she was about to say, "Can you do me a favour?" He nodded in agreement- he'd do anything for her. She gripped his shirt collar tightly, "Don't ever change."

He paused for a moment then took her wrists and pulled her to him with a half-laugh, "I won't. I'm pretty sure my immaturity will never change, but... my feelings will never change, either. I will always protect you. I'll be there when you need me. You and me; we're always going to be together. I'll always love you, Kairi. Always, I promise."

Kairi held him tighter, impressed at his un-childish statement, "I'll always love you, too." _Promise_.

**I've kept my promise. Have you kept yours?**

_Present Day_

The second round of Battle of The Bands went flawlessly; The Oathkeepers did fantastic as usual. Round 2's challenge was to sing a cover song, and Axel chose to perform one of his favourite covers- _I Wanna Love You_ by The Maine. Leave it to Axel to choose a song like _that_. It was a little too explicit for Sora's tastes, considering that he had to sing it shirtless, achieving alot of screams from the girls... and even some guys.

He wasn't crazy about the idea. His character would be portrayed differently, but this was for the competition. He knew who he was. Everyone could think what they wanted; he didn't care. Riku's bass playing was a little sloppy (considering that he was handcuffed to Sora for 2 days), but he pulled through.

Sora and Riku were both feeling a little blue a day before the show; both decided that they wouldn't go to the washroom or shower until they were released from each other. This resulted in a stench worse than Hayner. But that wasn't what Sora was worried about. At the moment, he was worried about Kairi more than ever. He was aware that Seifer was on the island, and so did Kairi. She trembled in fear when she first saw him perform on stage.

Furaifer was the first to get kicked out of the competition; Seifer blamed Sora for it. It made him hate him even more. Although Kairi seemingly hated Sora, there was a small part in her heart that was still worried about him.

"Well hello there Kairi," Seifer sneered, "Been awhile, huh?"

His voice sent shivers down her spine. The two reunited backstage of the competition when Sora had finished performing.

"I see your boyfriend is still alive," He pulled down his beanie hat, "He won't be for long. And who knows? Maybe your dad will be next. After all, you took mine away from me, too."

"It wasn't my fault." She hissed.

"Ooh, toughened up have you?" Seifer smirked, "Won't be so tough when your boyfriend gets hurt."

Kairi hesitated a little, "H-He's... not my boyfriend. Anymore."

Seifer looked even more satisfied as he placed a gloved hand on her cheek, "Aww, broken up have you? How unfortunate. Now you know what it's like to lose someone you love."

"So you'll stay away from him?"

"You still care?"

She wanted to say no, but she knew Seifer could see through that lie, "Th-That's besides the point."

"If you have to ask," Seifer watched as Sora bowed to the crowd, "I still have some business to finish with him. After all, he's still here, right? Not behind bars like my beautiful girl."

Kairi growled, "Your beautiful girl deserved it!" She swatted his hand away and slapped him across the face. Sora arrived backstage and threw a shirt on, only to witness Seifer holding his love by the neck. His eyes blazed with fury as he walked towards the scene.

"L-Let me go," Kairi squirmed. She had learned how to deal with things like this in her self-defense class back in Destiny Islands, but Seifer was far too strong. His contact with her was too sudden- they had just met again, and he already tried harassing her. She couldn't take the pain anymore; she was about to give in until he released his grasp, causing her to fall to the ground with Namine and Roxas rushing to her side. Sora and Seifer now stood face to face (now that Sora was a few inches taller) with their fists at the ready.

"I told you to stay away from her, didn't I?" Sora cracked his knuckles. Unlike before, Sora actually looked like he could take on Seifer and... win.

"Oh lookie, it's the boyfriend," Seifer laughed half-heartedly, "Want to throw away your life so easily?"

Sora lunged forward, but was held down by Axel. Seifer also did the same, but was held down by Fuu and Rai.

"Seifer man, you don't want to get into a fight here. You could get in serious trouble with security, y'know?"

Sora tried escaping from Axel, and the red-head had a hard time restraining him, but he was still able to keep him down.

"Sora!" Roxas cried out in worry, "It's Kairi; she's fainted!" As Seifer was taken away by his so-called 'minions', Sora gave him a dirty look as he rushed to Kairi.

She looked pale and her lips no longer had the pink hue they usually held. He held her in his arms like he used to, brushing strands of her hair away from her face, "Kairi..."

"We have to get her home." Roxas swished his car keys around his index finger. Sora nodded, and carried Kairi bridal style to Roxas' car parked at the side of the ampitheatre.

"Let me go, too." Namine offered. Sora nodded as they rushed towards the parking lot.

He placed Kairi in the backseat where she lay unconcious and sat next to her for support. Roxas drove them to the beach house which only took about five minutes.

Sora lay her on the couch in the living room. Namine and Roxas began searching for supplies that could possibly help Kairi while Sora sat on the edge of the couch, caressing her soft face. He knew she would wake up and probably beat his face in, but until then, he wanted to live in the moment.

It was the first time he actually got to hold her in two years, and he wasn't going to let it go to waste.

"Sora," Roxas whispered from the corner of the room, "You shouldn't be laying her down like that. If you want her to wake up, its best you let some blood return to her brain. Put her into a sitting position and put her head between her knees. That should help." Sora grinned and thanked him; he must've been used to Namine passing out.

Roxas proceeded down the hallway into the medicine cabinet. Sora did what he was told and propped Kairi upright into a ball position. It looked just like two years ago when she was depressed about Seifer; same story now. But this time, Sora couldn't help her in time. He promised to protect her, and so far, with her fainting like that, he wasn't doing a very good job.

_What have I done? _He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face at the crook of her neck, taking in her sweet scent.

She suddenly let out a hiccuped sob, "He hurt me."

"I'm so sorry," Sora whimpered, "I didn't get there in time."

Kairi didn't seem to mind that he was holding her, mostly because she could hardly move, "Y-You... swore to protect me... and... that's exactly wh-what you've done." She muttered her thanks and turned away from him; at least he kept one promise.

"Are you tired?" He spoke to her as if he was talking to a baby. He wanted to be as gentle as possible.

Kairi only groaned in response. That meant 'yes' to Sora's ears. He lifted her up again (this time she placed her arms around his neck) and headed up the stairs to her bedroom. Namine, who was washing her hands in the kitchen, couldn't help but notice how peaceful Kairi looked when she was with Sora.

_You should see what you're missing,_ Namine grinned, _He's perfect for you._

If Namine were to choose any boy for her cousin, Sora would definately be her first choice.

x

As Kairi lay safely in her bed with the covers raised up to her nose, Sora returned with a water bottle in hand. He approached her the way he'd approach an abused child; cautious, but willing to help. He placed the water bottle on her nightstand just in case she got thirsty in the middle of the night. He sat on the edge of her large bed and fixed her blanket so that she could breath. She looked so fragile, just like Namine. But then again, Namine was strong, and so was Kairi. They really were related.

He gave her one last look before standing up quietly and tiptoeing his way to the door.

Before he could do so, Kairi suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him down to lay beside her, "Don't go... please..." He was shocked for a moment, but didn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm never going to leave you. I promise." He whispered the same words he promised her before, holding her close. It had been so long since he'd tucked her in bed. He really did miss it.

She snuggled closer to him and mumbled, "Cloud..." He didn't say a word; he just kept comforting her with his actions and words. Although, on the inside, his heart was smashed into uncountable pieces.

* * *

When Kairi awoke the next day, she was feeling a little dizzy. Her head was spinning like crazy, and she couldn't remember a thing that happened before she fell asleep. That is, until she smelt the familiar scent of cologne; and it wasn't just any cologne, but it was **his** cologne. Suddenly images of last night began flashing into her head as she shot up from her bed only to find Sora nowhere in sight. Her room was quiet, minus the sounds of her heavy breathing and the waves crashing outside.

He had left her again after he promised he wouldn't leave her.

_Just like before..._ She felt her body tense up, then ease again. _I shouldn't be angry. He was just trying to help_. With that being said, she began looking for Sora to give him a proper thanking (though part of her was against it). She slowly opened the door to his room and didn't find him inside; his bed was still made, meaning he didn't sleep in it at all. _He couldn't be up for long, then..._

She trotted to the second floor, only to hear Hayner snoring from the end of the hall. Kairi made her way down to the first floor and heard humming coming from the kitchen, only to find Sora cradling a baby doll. He sat on the island counter, humming a familiar tune to himself as he fed the baby. Aqua had given them a new one and made sure Riku didn't burn it this time.

He immediately stopped humming when he found Kairi leaning against the doorframe, watching him with admirable eyes.

_Is she actually... smiling at me?_ "Kairi," He sounded nervous, "Sorry I left you this morning. I could hear the baby crying from all the way up there and... uh, I wanted to calm it down before Riku killed it again." She laughed; his soul lit up.

She snapped back to reality and kept a straight face as she spoke to him, "Um... thanks, Sora. For last night." Sora felt the need to say 'that's what she said', but restrained himself from making _that_ kind of joke at this time. She looked serious.

Something told him the old Kairi that hated him was back. "Uh, you're welcome."

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that," She said, "I... wasn't myself."

"I know," Sora smiled sadly, "You never would've done that if... you were yourself."

Kairi felt an ache in her heart; although it was the truth (_Wa__s it really?_), she could clearly see the hurt look on his face. "I was just overcome by fear, Sora. I let it take over. You were just-"

"I understand," His voice sounded a few octaves higher than usual, "I was just... a wall. You can lean on me all you want, I can protect you, but... I'll just get in the way."

x

Xion spent her Monday moping in the basement, watching cheesy dramas while munching on some popcorn. Riku wasn't with her this time- he actually got a life and explored the island with Hayner. According to Selphie, the anti-socials needed to unite and find a life together. But that was besides the point. Xion noticed that Sora was a little more depressed than usual; when she asked him what was wrong, he gave her a look that told her alot of things.

1) You ruined my life.  
2) You're the reason Kairi and I broke up.  
& 3) I will never love you. Stop trying.

True she could be overexaggerating, but she knew Sora hated her beyond belief. It was confirmed when he went downstaits to the storage room to get some chips; he gave her a cold look as he made his way back up the stairs. Her heart sank; suddenly she began to feel regret. At this rate, she never wanted to fall in love again. If she was just going to get rejected and hurt, she might as well give up. The rather short girl hugged her knees and began to get lost in her negative thoughts.

"Hey."

She looked up in shock to find Roxas sitting on the billiard table with his arms and legs crossed. When did he even get there? "Why so sad, Xion?" She hesitated to answer but drifted her eyes onto the staircase where Sora once was for a hint.

"Aa," He was well aware of the situation, "Don't worry about Sora. He's just a little grumpy, kay?" Then, he smiled at her. Not just a smile, but a radiant smile that caught her off guard.

She, too, found herself smiling. For once, someone in the household actually showed her kindness besides Riku. She didn't know exactly why Roxas was comforting her, but she was thankful. Out of all people that could've helped her, she was glad it was Roxas. There was something about his smile that made her feel secure. He had a wonderful smile.

It kinda reminded her of Sora's.

**In the next chapter:**

_"What's wrong with Kairi?"_

_"Noraega ullimyeon ije neoneun..."_

_"Do you want to... go on a date with me maybe?"_

_"You seem pretty nonchalant about this whole Kairi and Cloud thing."_

_"You look beautiful."_

* * *

**Wee, another early update! I haven't started summer school yet, so I'm still updating as often as I can. Finally, some SoKai fluff! About time they had a little moment together! And I finally changed the villain in this fanfic! Instead of the classic Xemnas, Marluxia, Sephiroth blah blah, its Seifer x) Well, and Cloud, but Cloud is Cloud. Anyone notice he wasn't in this chapter at all?**

**Well, this was more so based on Sora, Kairi and Seifer, but if you want to know what song Cloud's band sang, it was Bullet For My Valentine's cover for Crazy Train. They have a knack for rock songs. As for everyone else, pick your favourite cover songs and make it up ;) **

**Now, onto the real world. Today, I went to school (ew) for like, ten minutes, just to pick up my report card. Your dear writer has gotten straight A's and has made it into the honour roll! The good luck you all wished me worked :D Then after that, I went to the movies with my friends to watch Toy Story 3 in 3D (I know I'm such a child :P), and it was pretty good :D It was pretty dramatic! And for once, I think a child movie made me scream in horror.**

**There was this baby doll toy, and it had like one broken lazy eye, and you know how baby doll's can be scary? YEAH. SCARED THE SHIT OUTTA ME. It was night time, and the toys were trying to escape, and the baby was on patrol, looking up at the sky from a swing. Then it hears a sound, AND IT FREAKING TURNED ITS HEAD ALL THE WAY AROUND. Even though my friends and I were practically the only ones in the theatre, we were screaming pretty loud xD Even my guy friends were screaming!**

**The in the afternoon I went to the park with some of my other friends and since we were all girls, there were these guys at the park that were asking us how old we were, where we were going, and if they could come with us O.O Of course, we took our bikes and ran like hell. After that, I came home to finish this chapter :) I hope you guys enjoyed it; I thought it was pretty cute :) The next chapter is pretty dramatic, I tell you that. By the way, get your guns. Cloud's gonna be a wiaatch!**

**SaphireWaves: Lol I actually would have her teach him more, but I know nothing about physics xD Well, I only know distance time graphs and electricity, but since I'm only in ninth grade I haven't learned anything yet ;P. My brother was the one who was teaching me that grenade launching parabolic motion thing... I kinda stole it from him LOL. And I LOVE those Roxas POV fanfics! They're hilarious and adorable x3**

**MindReader13: LOL my favourite character is your least favourite, your favourite character is my least favourite :P. And I've killed numerous Adamantoise & tortoises but have killed them all with Vanille and Hecatoncheir in under a minute xP Still no Trapezohedron, though :( I was thinking about buying it, but then I'm like HELL NO. 2000000 GIL? DAMN. **

**DreamStation369: Well, I have a video of Roxas beating up Sephiroth if that'll do x) My cousin was at Disneyland and saw these two KH mascots; Roxas accidentally bumped into Sephiroth and tossed him into the pond then they started dighting xD**

**Stargazer-Aika: LOL well, you can only expect that from Axel ;) And I KNOW, if I were dating Sora (regardless of his childishness) I would NEVER dump him. Then Hope Estheim came into my life... xD And you guys have got to stop predicting the next chapters, man! xP There IS a keyblade chapter! D:**

**PyrusBlaikeRyder: Aww that is so _cute_! I wanna hear a baby say that x3 But instead, all I get is a creepyass baby from Toy Story 3 that scared the hell outta me!**

**TinaalovesMints: YAY I presume there's another U2 fan here then? :D And to me, the iPad is still cool and lame. Cool in the sense that... its cool (xD) but lame in the sense that its just a huge iTouch. And I think I've seen those laptops before! They're epic! Is it the mini one? Those are so cute x) And aww thanks :3**

**Kaze Renegade: I sense there's alot of bickering in your house, then? That's basically me and my friends in a nuteshell xP. And I guess I became Xion because my mother forced me to get a haircut :P**

**KHM-TheFallenKeyblader: DAMN. FROM THE PSP? I WORSHIP YOU. That means alot! It's like typing it on my iTouch or PS3- pain in the 'A' huh? :P And don't you worry about Tidus and Yuna! They will forever be together x3 Selphie's gonna end up with someone else. You just watch ;)**

**TheLuau: Still not finished school? D: Come on, you can do it :D And you live in Germany? My aunt lives there :) I hear it's awesome! Looks awesome, too. Especially in Berlin ;) **

**Suzumiya Haruka: I warned you to get the guns ready for the next chapter; Cloud shall die O.e ! And LOL your hair is very interesting xD Mine is ust Xion in the morning. Xion in the shower. Xion last. Lol.**

**DragoNik: O.o that is pretty disturbing. And lol, I'm not american xD I live in Canada- I'm gonna be epic and wear an american shirt tomorrow (which just so happens to be Canada day) LOL. But, y'know, same difference on the technology :)**

**TaylorrrStrife: NOOOOPE there are still early updates :D And YES. I was drunk off of Hope Estheim. Again... I have a disease, ok? xD And here in Canada, we don't go by the grade point average thing so can you please explain to me how that works? xD And a little heads up, the iPad is just a big iTouch. That's all it is. With a mic. THATS IT. Still awesome, but the world can go on without it xD And I know that feeling :( I'm in the middle of that now. And the interesting parts are yet to come :D**

**NightFalcon26: I know I feel bad for him too :( But don't worry, everything works out in the end :D**

**Sovereign Beta: LOL that's like the 50th review I've had about killing Cloud xD Don't worry. That bizatch won't touch Namine or Roxas; I'd kill him, too :P But now there's a little hint as to who might interfere with the Namixas relationship! Dun dun DUNNN.**

**EternallySky: I hate insomnia. I REALLY hate it! It's so annoying! I'm just like. Lying on my bed. Dying to fall asleep. AND IT WON'T LET ME. **

**Craxuan: Uh. Yeah. Okay?**

**Jared Someone: If you want to be as quick as me then be as quick as me brother ;) Not that hard. There's a little something called summer vacation, inspiration, boredom, and free time x) And the SoKai has returned, so you won't have to miss it all too much anymore :) **

**Hearts in The Twilight: When people guess my age there's like a range of 10 years apart xD "Uh... 8? No she's 18!" Depends on how I look that day x) And us 14 year olds can easily change our age for the better x) Like today at the movies. I pretended I was a child and my friend dressed up as my dad. It worked LOL. And REALLY? I counted like. 20 errors. LOL.**

**LadyOlanthe: Wow that's very kind of you regardless of the repetitiveness xD Thank you for appareciating the story x)**

**Wow. Only 10 o'clock? I think I'm gonna start writing the next chapter LOL. Or maybe I'll play some Final Fantasy? Hmm... well anyway, thanks for all your wonderfully awesome support, I love you all, please review, I hope you enjoyed and sorry for any grammar errors!**

**xoKyorii**


	8. Because You're Here

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

* * *

**. Chapter VIII.**

_**. Because You're Here .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"All I want is for her to be happy, and if _I_ can't make her happy, then I'm glad _he_ can."_

As far as Selphie was concerned, Hayner could die in a pityful hole of despair.

"Why do you insist on wearing a bra when there's nothing under it, _flatchest_?"

She rolled her eyes; why did he insist on insulting her every second of the day? It wasn't necessary. All she did was clean up his mess- she was practically his _maid_. What was his deal?

"Well, you're wearing pants aren't you?" Was her response.

Hayner twitched, "Um..." The instant he said that, Selphie knew he had no comeback. When it came to his manhood, he'd shut up instantly. She smirked in triumph.

"Well, you're fat."

It was Selphie's turn to twitch. She absolutely _hated_ it when people called her that. She'd get all paranoid and go on a rampage.

"Don't listen to him," Namine comforted from the couch, "You're perfect, Selphie."

She grinned, "Thank you, Namine."

The gamer rolled his eyes and continued to play his video game. He knew girls; they'd tell each other tons of lies to make them feel better, right? Truth was, he knew Selphie wasn't fat (though he'd never admit that to her face). He just didn't have another comeback.

"I'm going for a walk." Announced a weary Kairi by the doorway. She had her model outfit and makeup on, but she looked rather gloomy for someone who looked _that_ beautiful. She opened the door and collided with Olette; it was Thursday, her turn for a visit. Olette apologized and let Kairi through though the crimson-head didn't say a word.

"What's wrong with Kairi?" Olette asked in worry.

Hayner shrugged, "I think it has something to do with Sora." Said brunet was sitting on the chair of the grand piano, his head slamming onto the keys.

"I think she's feeling a little awkward because they fell asleep together," Namine tapped her chin, "And he saved her, right? She's confused about her feelings." Indeed, Namine was right.

_**"I don't want you to leave me, I want you to stay beside me always."**_

That late afternoon, The Oathkeepers were hard at work for their next performance. Hayner was already planning the lighting on his hacked iTouch device to sync with the song, but this time, there wasn't much work needed. The new song didn't need crazy lighting since it only needed a piano accompaniment, provided by Roxas. Riku had no idea what he was even doing at this so-called 'band meeting' if his bass playing wasn't required.

The third Battle of The Bands challenge was to sing a song in a different language; a language that no one in the band knew how to speak. Sora and Roxas were half Italian, Axel was part French, Riku learned Spanish in school, Hayner knew terrorist and everybody was able to speak Japanese and English fluently. Olette, who had been there the whole day, suggested Korean.

Everyone agreed openheartedly since Olette knew how to speak Korean (in fact she could practically speak every language) and could teach Sora. The song she chose was Taeyang's 'Wedding Dress', the most famous asian smash hit at the moment. It would 'woo' all the fangirls and maybe even some boys. Conveniently, it was a song about how the singer's lover is leaving him to marry another man. In Sora's case, Kairi was leaving him for Cloud. Thank goodness she wasn't _marrying_ the boy.

In fairness, Sora was learning the language fast, but kept cutting of Olette when she tried to teach him, "Noraega ullimyeon ije neoneun-"

"Where _is_ she?" Sora's voice sounded worried, yet angry, "The sun's already setting!"

"She's on a walk," Roxas reminded, "Now can you stop worrying and go back to focusing on the real matter? I thought you were determined to win this competition."

Sora scoffed, "I am. It's just... who goes on a walk for seven hours?"

Axel was getting tired of this, "If you're so worried, why don't you go after her?" Roxas gave him a dirty look.

"I would," Sighed a defeated looking Sora, "But I think she just wants to be alone. She'd run away from me, anyway. After all, I _am_ the reason she's acting weird."

"I don't know who to be pissed off with," Riku crossed his muscular arms, "You, being the oversensetive child you are- or Kairi, the reason you're the oversensetive child you are."

Roxas went into defense mode, "Hey, you should be glad Kairi's here! Because of her, Sora can actually pull this competition off! Because of Kairi, Sora's happy! Because of Ka-"

"I get it," Riku muttered, "Sora has a reason to live for."

"And what's yours?" Asked Olette.

_Xion_. "What makes you think I'll tell you?" The emo-king glared.

"When the day comes, you're going to open up to us, Riku." Roxas gave him a thumbs up, "You'll see. I know there's more to you than meets the eye." Riku placed a hand over his sleeve and winced at the scars on his arm.

_There's alot more to me than you think_.

_**"Always, always I want you to watch over me, dear my friend."**_

_Sora's probably worried about me_, the thought made Kairi smile, though she didn't want it to. She wasn't supposed to _like_ Sora, was she? He cheated on her, lied and broke her heart. It wasn't right to like someone like that. But why did he have to be so damn irresistable? He practically risked his life for her fighting with Seifer, made sure she fell asleep just fine, rentlessly tried to get her attention and on top of all that, he was much hotter and talented.

Could it be she was... falling for him again?

Before the thought occured to her, her cellphone began to ring. She received a text from Cloud, asking her where she was. Truth was, she had no idea where she was. Kairi had been walking around all day not knowing where she was going, and eventually she found herself in a district filled with shops and restaurants. The moon was already up, her sources of light being the rainbow coloured neon lights all over the place.

Normally this was the time when teenagers that loved getting wasted go out and get a drink (they disrespcted the 'no alcohol' rule and snuck their goods in); thank goodness Kairi was able to dodge the drunken boys who were wolf-whistling at her. She was currently sitting in an alleyway, reading the text over and over.

_Text received from _**Cloud Strife x3**_:_  
**Cloud:** Kairi, where r u? Want 2 go 4 a walk around the island?

_So, who is it? Cloud... or Sora?_ Not to mention that Seifer was after her...

Kairi began to cry tears of frustration. She hadn't felt this confused in her life. There was Sora; sweet, protective yet badass Sora, and Cloud; caring, talented and sexy all over Cloud. Sora was both promising and unpromising- he'd risk his life for her, but there was the chance of him cheating on her again. Never a good sign.

She had just met Cloud, but something just... _connected_. Both could protect her when she couldn't protect herself. Undoubtfully, both boys could make her happy, too.

Kairi questioned herself if she actually should be asking herself these questions; did she even have any of these boys? According to Selphie, this was like "that freaking Hannah Montana episode all over again", minus the Seifer part. She just wanted an answer, and her heart couldn't give her one.

She didn't even want Sora (or did she?) anymore. She had fully convinced herself that she hated him, but then he just...

Then Cloud came in the picture. Who was she to choose? Was there even a choice? She didn't know. She didn't want to think about it. And wasn't she the one who didn't want to fall in love in the first place? It would just bring her more pain.

Wind began to blow in the debris filled streets, flying right past Kairi. She wished the answers would just fall in front of her, and all the puzzle pieces would fall into place.

"Kairi?"

She looked up and nearly fell over, regardless of the fact that she was sitting down. "Cl-Cloud?" She managed to choke out after what seemed like eternity. How did he find her?

"You're crying," He said sadly, taking the seat next to her, "I... heard about that Seifer guy."

Her eyes widened, wondering how he found out, "A-Ah..."

"You can cry if you want; don't be scared because I'm here. And not that I want you to cry, but... hm, how do I put this? Crying doesn't suit you, but it's good if you want to let out your feelings... a-and if you want my opinion, I think Seifer's an asshole for doing that. Want me to kick him off the island? I can do that, you know."

_That's right... he's the heir. _"It's okay," Kairi reassured, now wiping away her tears. She didn't want him going through all that trouble.

"Fine then," Cloud put on a cute smile for her, "Want to get some ice cream? Might cheer you up and we can talk a bit more."

Just like Sora...

"U-Uh, sure." Kairi hesitated, but went on with it. The two teens stood up with Cloud placing his oversized coat on Kairi's shoulders. She was wearing a matching blouse and skirt and was probably cold. She enjoyed it when he casually intertwined their hands together, walking across the 'downtown' like streets. Cloud looked like he knew where he was going and led them to a rather large ice cream shop. Along the way, Kairi was glad she had found her answer.

_I guess it's Cloud..._

_**"I will keep moving forward."**_

"Thanks, Cloud. For the ice cream..." Kairi licked on her strawberry treat that she held with her right hand, her left hand holding Cloud's. They walked through an open field where the teenagers with a passion for lanterns were setting their lanterns free. They were made of thin japanese paper and acted like mini hot air balloons with fire inside to elevate them. They were originally constructed by the chinese, and in Kairi's perspective, they were beautiful.

Not to mention romantic.

"Gorgeous." She whispered, watching hundreds of them fly into the sky before her.

"I wouldn't call them _gorgeous_," Cloud squeezed her hand tighter, "Not with _you_ here." Kairi blushed; being with Cloud was like a dream. She continued to lick on her ice cream, not thinking of a response. I mean, what was she supposed to say to _that_? You're sexier than lanterns, Cloud?

She stumbled across her thoughts and staggered backwards, spilling her ice cream all over her blouse.

"Damnit." She cursed, trying to wipe the stain away with napkins from her pocket. Cloud helped her too, and in a matter of minutes, he was looking at her oddly. She asked him what was wrong but he didn't say anything.

"You missed a spot." He finally announced, placing a hand on her face.

Then, he kissed her.

Not square on the lips, but softly on the cheek. It felt so gentle and sent shivers down her spine; she hadn't felt this good since Sora. But it wasn't Sora, it was Cloud. Maybe it had always been Cloud since she got here. She had no more second thoughts; it was Cloud indeed. He pulled away and looked at Kairi; she was shaking with excitement and delight.

"I'm sorry," He took her shaking as fear, "Was that... to early? I know we only met... but I... I think I-I'm sorry I don't know what came over me, but..."

"That was... perfect," Kairi whispered breathlessly, placing a hand on her cheek in disbelief. He... actually felt the same way? She never thought anything could grow between their platonic friendship. Cloud suddenly smiled at her returned feelings.

"So, uh..." He rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Do you want to... go on a date with me, maybe? Saturday? I'll... pick you up, if you'd like." Kairi admired his bravery. It must've taken alot of courage for him to ask her like that. She couldn't reject him. She didn't want to.

"Y-Yes, of course! I mean, um... that would be lovely." Kairi tried to be classy; Cloud was rich, wasn't he?

He scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around, holding her tightly. Once he placed on the ground, she immediately began to text Selphie.

_**"I won't give up my feelings. If I can make voice to all these words, then the future will open up wide."**_

When Sora couldn't take it anymore, he went out for a walk to search for Kairi. He wasn't going to force her to come home or anything (in fact he wasn't even going to make contact with her), he just wanted to at least _see_ her and make sure she was safe. To his dismay, he did find her (within 10 minutes), but holding hands with 'The Bitch'.

_At least she's safe_, He thought to himself, and headed back to the beach house where he spent the rest of the evening with his twin brother and Namine. Roxas was teaching her how to swim since she hadn't learned. She was homeschooled and had never swam in a pool before, until now. They occupied the pool in the backyard which was lit up by rainbow colured pool lights.

At the moment, Roxas was teaching his girlfriend how to move her arms (and she looked quite nervous doing so considering that Roxas was half-naked and vice versa) while Sora was reading a book about athletics. He sat on a beach chair near the edge of the pool with his thick-rimmed reading glasses on, looking more focused than he ever had before. Roxas had noticed, and found it to be suspicious.

"Sora," He hollered, "You seem nonchalant about this whole Kairi and Cloud thing."

Sora removed his glasses and began to bite the edge of them, "Am I supposed to be _chalant_?"

"It's just... you know..."

"Roxas, all I want is for her to be happy, and if **I** can't make her happy, then I'm glad **he** can."

His brother's mouth popped, "Wow. You really love her don't you?"

Sora placed a hand over his heart, "With my life. And besides, it's not like Cloud is gonna ask her out or anything. She'll come around."

Selphie squealed from the living room and ran outside to the backyard where she began jumping up and down with her cellphone in hand, "Guys, guess what? ! Cloud just asked out Kairi!"

_**"I want you to watch over me, dear my friend."**_

Sora didn't know why he came to the island in the first place. He knew it was for Kairi, but for what, really? He came to win her heart back, but instead, all he got was a smack in the face. She was with another man, now. He didn't even think it was possible. Maybe his mission was to make her happy? If he wanted to keep her happy, then he was going to help her.

Now matter how much it hurt him.

Selphie insisted on shopping the next day since Kairi kept complaning about having nothing to wear. Namine found it unbelievable considering the amount of clothes Kairi had brought with her, and of course they were all 'date acceptable'. They looked like clothes a mannequin from an expensive fashion brand would wear, and Kairi thought it was unacceptable for a date?

She silently questioned her cousin's insanity.

There was a large mall located near the center of the island that had stores for pretty much everything; it was where Selphie spent her vacation for the past three weeks, other than hanging out with her friends. This time, everyone in the Hikari household was present. They weren't exactly together, though. Just like always, they dispersed into different groups.

Surprisingly, Hayner tagged along with Riku and Xion. The emo and the gamer were starting to get on good terms with each other considering that Selphie sent them together on their quest to find a 'social life'. They tried a montage of things together, and eventually, Riku found it safe to call Hayner his '_acquaintance_'. He finally didn't have to pretend that he didn't know him anymore.

Sora, Roxas, Selphie, Namine and Kairi stuck together and rummaged through different stores to find Kairi 'the dress'. Although, Selphie acted like _she_ was the one who needed more clothing. She even bought more things than Kairi did. In fact, Kairi hadn't even bought anything yet. It had already been three hours, and she couldn't find a thing.

She tried on a series of dresses, but nothing was good enough. Kairi insisted on letting Roxas, Selphie and Namine help her choose a dress, and left poor Sora alone to watch. He was currently rolling his eyes in the corner of a dress shop, watching the 'amateurs' find a dress.

"Kairi," Namine whined as she hid behind Roxas, "Can't you just look fabulous in something you already own? We can't find a thing!"

"Here's an idea," Roxas held Namine to make her feel secure, "Why don't you let _Sora_ pick something out for you?"

"I don't need _his_ help." Kairi said coldly, pushing dresses aside to examine them.

"But you absolutely _love_ his taste in clothing," Roxas smirked; he knew Kairi was in denial, "Remember all those clothes he bought you before? You loved them! As in, not the pretending-to-like-them-just-because-my-boyfriend-bought-them kinda thing. You legit loved them. And if I wasn't mistaken... didn't _he_ buy you that shirt?"

Kairi stiffened and looked down at her off shoulder top. Damnit, Roxas was right.

She knew she hated Sora, but his taste in clothes was good (correction, insanely good). She couldn't throw out the clothes he bought her- that would have been a waste! But then again, so was their relationship.

"Come on Kairi," Roxas cooed, "Let Sora give it a go!" From the other end of the shop, Selphie was waving around a feathery flamingo dress towards Kairi. She sweatdropped and looked towards Sora's direction.

He was already spinning around a pink dress with a matching white camisole. It didn't look all too promising at first, but when she tried it on in the changeroom, she groaned. Sora had chosen the perfect dress. Even random people in the store thought so; a guy was wolf-whistling from the entry way.

"It's perfect!" Selphie squealed, "Why didn't you let Sora take over in the first place?"

Kairi didn't answer; she just kept spinning herself around by the mirror. She was examining it, and by the looks of it, she was approving. It wasn't too revealing, it was cute, it didn't look like she was trying to hard, it was the perfect size and hugged her figure perfectly, and... it was just ironically perfect. She expected Roxas to say "I told you so," but he was too modest for it.

Kairi changed back into her old clothes (now regretting the off shoulder top) and walked towards the cashier to pay for the dress. She had enough munny; her father had sent her off with practically an eighth of his earnings.

"600 munny." The lady announced.

Kairi began to rummage through her purse to find her wallet, only to find that Sora had already placed the munny on the counter. "What are you-"

"I'm paying." Sora said calmly, and thanked the kind looking woman. He walked out the store with the bag without another word. Kairi couldn't help but feel a little suspicious and guilty. He didn't look all too heartbroken, but she could read his eyes. She always the only one who could (besides Roxas, his twin for the matter). They were telling her that he was devastated. But if he was devastated, why was he helping her with a date with another guy?

_Because he loves you_. "Shut up." Kairi spat to no one in particular.

_**"Wishes, the dreams I want to come true. The feelings I wish I could tell you..."**_

Saturday eventually came; the third round of the bands, and Kairi's date. Now was half an hour prior to each of the events, and all the girls (minus Xion) were huddled together in Kairi's room to help her get ready. From the door, Xion was watching Selphie curl Kairi's hair while Namine did her make-up by the vanity table.

"Why aren't you in there with them?" Oathkeeper's pianist for the evening walked out of his room looking stunning as always in his semi-formal wear, "Aren't girls supposed to... work together on stuff like this?"

Xion, who tried not to gawk at Roxas' beauty, shook her head, "I would, but I'm pretty sure Kairi doesn't want my presence."

"If it makes you feel better, I do," He bowed as a joke, "I know you kinda did something in the past, but you don't have the right to be hurt_ this_ badly. What's eating you?"

"Nothing."

"Xion."

_Why does he care?_ "Why are you asking me this?" She suddenly asked.

Roxas looked taken aback, "I'm just... wondering. You remind me of Axel; mysterious."

_His best friend? That's... nice._ "Am I supposed to be offended?"

Roxas laughed, "Funny. Well, unlike him, you actually smell nice." From the second floor, they could hear a muffled, "I heard that!" that obviously came from a fiery red-head. The teens laughed, and Xion couldn't help but notice that Roxas sounded like Sora when he laughed.

Not that she was falling for Roxas (he had a girlfriend, for that matter), but it was nice to see a refreshing face and personality other than the person who broke her heart. When she was with Roxas, it was like starting anew with Sora. It was absolutely refreshing.

Kairi's door creeped open as Selphie and Namine tiptoed out.

"Where's Sora?" Selphie whispered, "Kairi wants to see him."

Roxas slapped himself in the face, "Am I dreaming? Kairi actually _wants_ to see Sora?" Namine blocked his face from a slap and kissed him instead; Xion's fingers lightly twitched.

Selphie proceeded in knocking on Sora's door (which just so happened to be next to Kairi's), only to receive no response. She knocked again, and this time, Sora opened the door in his performing attire; a long sleeved white polo shirt rolled up to his sleeves, a black unbuttoned formal vest overtop, black slacks, converse (he couldn't help it even though it ruined the formal facade) and a fedora hat.

He, just like the singer Taeyang, looked depressed that he was getting left for another man.

"What?" He asked in a groggy voice and bad posture.

"Kairi wants to see you," Namine said gently, pointing at her door. Sora perked up a little, but his expression didn't change. He walked into Kairi's room and shut the door behind him for privacy. Her room was dim, the only source of light being the lamp on her nightstand.

Kairi was sitting in fornt of her vanity table with a leg crossed over the other, wearing the dress he had bought her two days ago. She was leaning against the palm of her hand; for someone who was going on a date, she didn't look all too excited. Sora was having a hard time breathing- was it getting hot in Kairi's room or what?

"Yes?" Sora pulled on his collar to make it look like he wasn't nervous.

"Oh, Sora..." Kairi looked at him with sad eyes. She looked hauntingly beautiful in his perspective. That blond bitch better not hurt her, or he was going to get it. "A-Are you okay?" She asked.

"You care?" Sora was surprised at the tone of his voice; he sounded more depressed than he thought.

"Well," Kairi twiddled her thumbs and looked as if she were in denial, "I'm just wondering... are you okay with this? Me and Cloud, I mean... You're not going to try and kill yourself are you?"

_I'm already dead_. "No," He sighed, "I just want you to be happy."

Then she did something unexpected. She stood up, walking up to him slowly, and actually hugged him. It was soft and gentle, just like before. Sora felt as if he were flying, and the butterflies he longed for were fluttering in his stomach. She lay her head on his muscled chest- it was then she noticed how much taller he had gotten. She was only up to his _neck_!

He slowly wrapped his arms around her too, though it took him some time to get used to the touch. She pulled away quickly once she recognized what she was doing, "S-Sorry. Uh, I have to get going. Cloud's gonna be here soon."

Sora began adjusting his fedora for no apparent reason, "And I, uh... have to perform." Kairi nodded in aknowledgement before heading towards the door, spinning the knob. "Hey Kai-Kai." She turned around.

"You look beautiful."

**In the next chapter:**

_"You know my heart only belongs to you, Tifa Lockhart."_

_"Don't worry; If you fall, I'll catch you."_

_"If we can't strike her lover, we'll just have her embarass herself."_

_"He FAINTED onstage?"_

_"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"_

* * *

**Hey guys, this author's note is going to be short and simple. I can't reply to your reviews (but I will in the next chapter) at the moment because I have to go to sleep. Lately I haven't been getting enough sleep so I'm going to sleep early today. Why? I've started summer school! Bah! But, I will admit, History isn't as boring as I thought. It's still boring (no offense to people who like it), but the World Wars are actually... interesting :D I couldn't help but think of Modern Warfare, though o.o**

**And the scene breaks are lyrics from Sayuri's 'Kimi Ga Iru Kara' aka "Because You're Here" in english. I thought it matched and I don't own that song.**

**Anyway, the drill is also simple. I apologize for the inconvenience of the author's note, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I don't own the song 'Wedding Dress' (heh I'm about to show my asian side in the next chapter xP), thanks for your support, please review and sorry for any grammar errors!**

**xoKyorii**


	9. LOVEStrUCKS

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Cloud Strife (Stage 2):** Kairi's boyfriend. He's secretly in a long term relationship with Tifa Lockhart and is working for Aqua as an actor to shake things up in the Hikari household.

**Kairi Emori Lovelock (Stage 3):** Cloud's girlfriend. She has confused feelings about Sora.

**May Lovelock (Stage 1):** Kairi's foster mother. Age 29.

**Dietrich Lovelock (Stage 1):** The mayor of Destiny Island's and Kairi's foster father. Age 32.

**PLACES:**

**Nautilus (Final Fantasy XIII):** This 'City of Dreams' is located right next to Destiny Islands and is a famous futuristic amusement park for all ages.

**OTHER:**

**Pulsian: **The language spoken on Gran Pulse.

**Orichalcum powder:** A deadly powder only availabe in Twilight Town. It is used to instantly kill a victim that's had a high dose. A small dose results in instant fainting and possibly constant vomiting and intense stomach aches.

*** I don't own the song 'Wedding Dress', Taeyang does. Btw, I am so SHOCKED at the amount of you who actually know the song :D It's AWESOME !**

* * *

**. Chapter IX .**

**_. LOVEStrUCKS ._**

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"Don't worry; If you fall, I'll catch you."_

Sora was (and still is) love struck, then he was (and probably still is) love stuck, and now he just thought love sucked.

Roxas took hint of his brother's pale face. He looked like he was about to throw up, clutching his stomach in pain. "The Noize" was announced to be out of the competition, no one had performed yet, and Sora was already sick.

"Is he okay?" Tidus whispered backstage, purely out of concern.

"He's depressed because of Cloud," Roxas shook his head in dismay, "He asked out Kairi and is on a date with her right now."

Sora groaned, "I'm fine, jeez!" The brunet was clearly in denial. He was slumped across a bed of amplifiers that Axel had made for him.

"Cloud?" The name sounded familiar to Tidus, "As in... Cloud Strife?"

"You know him?" Roxas asked, looking surprised, "Well, besides the fact that he's the heir and the lead singer of... well, yeah."

Tidus raised his hand to refrain Roxas from talking "No, I think I know him personally."

Axel quirked a brow, "You _think_?"

Roxas shone a flashlight in Tidus' face as if interrogating him, "TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW, BOY."

"My cousin Zack Fair knows him," The shaggy blond squinted his eyes from the brightness, "In fact, he's best friends with him. Last time I heard Cloud was in a serious relationship with some chick named Tifa."

Axel's jaw dropped, "That hottie playing the drums for Advent Children? DAMN. How'd that fag score that chick?"

"So he _already_ has a girlfriend?" Roxas growled; he looked towards Sora. Luckily the twin wasn't listening and looked like he was asleep or he would've gone on a rampage.

"I don't know," Tidus answered truthfully, "My cousin told me that a year ago. They probably broke up by now, so no worries." The Gullwings were ordered to go onstage, so that was Tidus' cue to leave.

A light bulb lit up in Roxas' head as he turned to Axel who was already putting on his latex gloves. "Investigate?"

They bumped fists, "Investigate."

_**"My heart aches secretly, then just a hint of your smile can make me fine again."**_

"Are you done flirting with that Kari girl yet?" Slender arms wrapped around Cloud's waist from behind.

He turned the girl around and kissed her forehead, "You mean _Kairi_?"

"Whatever. That chick that looks like a 'Totally Spy'." The young woman began to unbutton Cloud's dress shirt to expose his perfect muscles. Even through the dim lighting, he looked incredible.

He stopped her with a light chuckle, "No, I'm not done yet. I'm doing Aqua a favour, and you told me you didn't mind?"

She pouted, "I don't, but you're going on a date tonight and it's not with _me_."

He reassured her in between kisses, "You know my heart only belongs to you, Tifa Lockhart."

Said woman named Tifa hugged him tightly and adjusted his tie, "You were never good with ties, were you?"

He traced her jawline with his fingers and said seductively, "No, I was much better at... _other_ things."

Tifa giggled, "Go get ready for your date. She's probably waiting."

A knock was heard from the door; with a snap of Cloud's fingers, the door opened automatically.

Aqua came walking through the door with a cheque in hand, "Here's your payment for the week, Cloud."

He thanked her, "Y'know, you don't need to pay me. My family's paying for your equipment, anyway."

"This is my way of _re_paying you," She bowed in gratitude, "And you're doing such a great job! Thank you!"

Tifa crossed her arms, "What did you expect? It's _Cloud Strife_. That's what ten years in acting school will do to you."

Aqua nodded, "Touche. Why do you think I chose him?"

"How's that ex-boyfriend of hers?" Cloud suddenly asked.

Aqua winked, "He's going crazy. That oughta add some drama in that place."

"Good, then I'm doing my job."

_**"I hold my breath, bite my lips. Oh, please leave him and come to me."**_

Back at the stadium, Sora was having a hard time breathing. They were up next after Advent Children. Since Cloud wasn't present, their band had to go without an amazing guitarist. Instead, Yuffie (who was a little fidgety) took his place. Their Pulsian performance had just finished and received a standing ovation from the crowd. With or without Cloud, Advent Children was the hardest competitor The Oathkeepers had to go against.

"Are you sure you can go out there?" Hope asked, "You look unstable."

Sora attempted to straighten his posture, "I'm fine."

His cousin placed a hand on his forehead, "Your temperature's a little high... have you eaten anything today?"

Sora gently took his hand off, "No, I haven't."

Hope bit his lip, "Drink anything?" Another head shake.

He sighed, "There may be a chance of you fainting out there with your conditions."

Sora snickered, "You watch Grey's Anatomy too much."

Hope stuck out his tongue, "Hey, that season finale was _intense_! A-And I'm studying to be a paramedic, remember?"

The Oathkeepers were called out onto the stage and the crowd was already going wild. Although Riku wasn't in the performance, he supported them from the sidelines (although his fangirls were disappointed that he wasn't going to make an appearance that night). Instead, he was helping Hayner with some electronic beats and lighting.

Sora stumbled on his way to the curtains, being caught by Hope, "Steady now." He tossed him a water bottle, "You're not performing until you drink that."

The brunet rolled his eyes and gulped it down, feeling slightly refreshed, "Thanks."

Sora, now able to stand straight, walked through the curtains. Hope couldn't help but feel worried, but was comforted by Vanille who gave him one of her famous reassuring hugs.

Onstage, Sora didn't remember the lights being so bright. They practically blinded him, and did they spin like that before? Were there always that many? It was double than what the ampitheatre usually had. Maybe it was just him. Come to think of it, maybe Hope was right. He was feeling a little dizzy; he should rest. Roxas knew the lyrics, and he could sing it way better.

Just as Sora was about to chicken out, Roxas had already began playing. He couldn't quit now; besides, this was his moment to shine. His fans were waiting for his performace, he couldn't let them down, and the song was pretty darn catchy and emotional (it pretty much said what he felt). Even if he was feeling sick, he just had to suck it up for four minutes, that's all.

"Some say it's not over 'till it's over. Guess this is really over now. There's something I gotta say before I let you go, listen..."

_**"Baby, please don't take his hand, 'cause you should be my lady."**_

Kairi never remembered dates being this... awkward. When she went on dates with Sora, she felt like she could really be herself. She was _comfortable_. With Cloud, she felt like there was a shell around her. She was like a turtle- too nervous to come out. But nonetheless, she couldn't deny that she was having a great time.

Cloud was unique and classy although he was a tad cliche. He picked her up in his Fenrir motorcycle and was obviously awestruck at how wonderful Kairi looked (and vice versa). They drove across the island to the amusement park on the resort, located behind the stage where Battle of The Bands took place. The amusement park was far larger than she expected and was created for teenagers who had a passion for thrill rides and amusement parks.

The experience was far greater with Cloud by her side. He didn't have to pay for anything, he didn't have to get in line, and if Kairi ever wanted a stuffed animal that had to be won, she could just point at it and have it in an instant. Cloud was the heir. He had perks. Although, he usually showed his worth when Kairi wanted something from a carnival game. Now Kairi had about five toys which the young Strife gladly held for her.

The couple went on a few roller coasters (Cloud was surprised to find that Kairi was fearless), watched fireworks and went on the ferris wheel. Now the two were sitting atop a fake mountain and were eating at an Italian restaurant. They sat at an outdoor table with a perfect view of the park and fireworks while dandelions gently flew around with the soft wind.

Kairi poked at her spaghetti absentmindedly (she found it awkward eating in front of Cloud) and looked deep in thought. To her dismay, Cloud noticed.

"Are you okay? You don't look like you're enjoying yourself."

"N-No!" Kairi answered instantly- she didn't want her _boyfriend_ getting the wrong idea, "I'm just... awestruck." She watched the fireworks, "This is alot of excitement for one night!" _You liar_, The crimson-head bit her lip, _This is about Sora, isn't it? _

Cloud didn't look convinced, but let it slide once he caught sight of the dancefloor. An idea struck him, "Want to dance?"

Kairi began to feel melancholic. Not that she wasn't a good dancer (which she was), but dancing just brought her back to memories that she didn't want to remember. Nonetheless, she couldn't refuse an oppurtunity like this. _You're on a date with the celebrated Cloud Strife and you're thinking about Sora? Some girlfriend you are._

He led her to the dancefloor and cheesily bowed before her, bringing their bodies together in one swift movement. Soft, slow music was playing in the background that Kairi couldn't recognize. Although, it did sound nice and fit the mood. She wasn't even looking at Cloud's eyes the whole entire time. She was busy letting her mind wander off to the past where it was her first date with Sora, nearly in the same situation.

**Destiny Islands, 2 years ago, Lovelock Mansion, 6:00pm**

Sora rang the doorbell nervously, itching on his long sleeved polo shirt. He had decided to pull them up to his elbows for less elegance- he knew his girlfriend hated it when he looked like he was trying to hard. Surely the door was opened by a butler, letting him inside with a thick, Pulsian accent. Inside, Kairi's foster parents (who looked rather young) were dressed in formal wear and began judging him silently with their cold eyes.

He suddenly regretted rolling up his sleeves.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Lovelock," Sora greeted, thankful that his voice didn't crack as he shook their gloved hands, "I'm Sora Hikari, if you haven't already heard."

"Ambition?" Mr. Lovelock suddenly asked and adjusted the sash across his suit to show Sora the sign that read '**Mayor**' in big block letters.

The brunet gulped, "A-Athlete."

"Which sport?"

"I engage in a series of athletic activities," _Use fancy words, Sora. Be smooth; everything's gonna be okay!_ Kairi's mother sensed how tense her daughter's new boyfriend was getting and began laughing out loud, breaking the facade.

She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Look how scared he looks, Dietrich! It's adorable!"

"A-Aa?" Sora looked confused as Kairi's father began laughing as well.

"We're just messing with you," Kairi's father gave him an awkward high five, "There's absolutely no need for any formality in this household, regardless if I am the mayor or not. Feel comfortable, please." Dietrich too, rolled up his sleeves.

Sora felt as if he had just experienced a hoax. Did they just really...?

"_Dad_," Kairi whined from atop the spiral staircase, "Don't scare him!"

When she reached the bottom of the staircase, dressed in a sparkly pink sundress, Sora tried his hardest not to gawk. She went to Sora's side and hugged his arm, trying not to show how overly excited she was.

"Okay, just to confirm, I only have one rule," Dietrich pointed a finger accusingly at Sora, "No intimacy. Well, in front of me. You seem like a promising young man, and I know you're not going to take advantage of my daughter, right?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Sora answered confidently.

The mayor nodded firmly, "Well then, off you go."

Kairi's mother squealed, "Enjoy!"

When the double crystal doors shut behind them, Kairi glomped Sora into a forceful hug, "My gosh you clean up nicely!"

He kissed her cheek, "You're one to talk; look at you!"

She giggled in his arms, "So where are we going?"

"Why don't we just skip to the sex?" Sora joked with a malevolent smirk on his face. Suddenly the blinds from Kairi's living room window flipped open, revealing Kairi's father with narrowed eyes. "I-I WAS JUST JOKING, SIR!" He did the 'I'm watching you' gesture before shutting off the blinds. Sora could've sworn he still saw his silhouette.

"He's your biggest fan." Kairi snarled and laced her hand with Sora's.

His only response was to place a hand over her mouth, "Shut up you cutie patootie you."

**Nautilus, that same night**

After leaving the train, the couple made their way towards the entrance of the amusement park. Although it was nearly dark outside, Kairi didn't mind. She found it romantic. It felt nice to be around Sora- he wasn't just her boyfriend now, but her best friend. They had always been, but she was so glad it had grown to something more. They were going to be together forever.

The whole time they were completely comfortable around each other and had absolutely no problems. It was like a dream, and neither wanted to wake up. Nautilus was such a happy place and never had a dull moment.

_Maybe because Sora's with you_, Kairi thought. Now the two were playing carnival games, although this time, Kairi wanted to win something for herself fair and square. It would have been too cliche if Sora had won something for her. That... and the fact that he couldn't.

Kairi was trying to climb up a slanted rope ladder to win a prize, but she looked a little frightened to do so. The buzzer she had to ring looked rather high. Kairi looked as if she was going to back out, but Sora reassured her before she stepped on.

"Don't worry; if you fall, I'll catch you."

She stuck out her tongue, "Cheesy."

He quickly stole a kiss from her lips, "But you love it." With that small kiss, Kairi successfully made it to the top and won herself a large chocobo plushie. Sora insisted on carrying it to make it look like he won it for her. Kairi laughed and refused.

Afterwards, the couple went on a few more thrill rides (to which Sora held her hand on each one) before eating dinner at an Italian themed restaurant, located at the peak of the park. The two ate in a comfortable silence and engaged in conversation along the way. Sora caught Kairi glancing at the dance floor every now and then and got the hint, pulling her to the center of the dance floor without any warning.

"S-Sora, I don't know how to dance." Kairi said nervously.

He pressed their bodies together, "I do. You'll be fine." Kairi looked shocked; Sora could dance? Indeed, he could. He led her around the floor and spun her when needed.

"Wow you really know what you're doing," Kairi stared at her feet, "I-I'm not sure I can keep up with you!"

He chuckled, "If you want me to go slower, I can." She playfully slapped his arm. The song reached its end by the time Sora could hold her again, so he took the oppurtunity to kiss her square on the lips. It hadn't been the first time he'd done it, but it sure felt exactly the same. Perfect, and filled his stomach with butterflies.

Kairi was taken off guard and didn't see it coming, but returned the soft kiss of course. He held her afterwards, and whispered into her ear, "I-"

**Present Day**

"-adore you," Cloud finished, leaning down to kiss her.

Kairi stumbled and backed up. It didn't feel right. _Way to kill a move_, "Oh my, I'm so sorry!"

From the corner of his pale blue eyes, Cloud could see Aqua calling him over from behind a bush, "U-Uh, it's okay. Listen, I need to go to the bathroom for a second. I'll be back, okay Kairi?"

She nodded and let him run off, leaving her in the center of the dance floor alone. _I cannot believe you just rejected a kiss from your boyfriend. And it's CLOUD STRIFE no less._

From afar, Seifer and his posse were having a little talk. They watched as Kairi struggled with her thoughts, giving him a wild idea. The poor girl was in dier need of a drink to clear her thoughts.

"My, doesn't she look pretty today?" Seifer snickered, "Must be on a date, huh? We should ruin it for her."

Raijin's lip quivered, "But her date is the Strife boy, y'know? That's a bad idea."

"We're not going after _him_," Seifer pulled out a bottle with white powder inside, "We're going after _her_. If we can't strike her lover, we'll just have her embarass herself."

"But that's Orichalcum powder..." Even Rai looked frightened, "That's dangerous, y'know? She could die."

The leader rolled his eyes, "Just a small dose, calm down."

He tossed it to Fuujin who had already put on an apron to make herself look like an employee from the restaurant. She patted her eyepatch before placing powdered water onto a tray, walking towards the dance floor. She offered the free drink to Kairi who accepted it without hesitation.

Kairi thanked her and took a sip, sensing that something about the water didn't taste right. Water wasn't supposed to have a taste, right?

Suddenly everything around her began spinning. The colourful lights that were once welcoming were now giving her a headache. Teenagers (mostly couples) that were dancing around looked like they were spinning in a vortex right before her eyes. Voices and childish music were echoing through her head, until one voice stood out. It was Cloud.

"Kairi, are you okay? You look dizzy. Want me to- whoa, easy! Can you hear me? Kairi, Kairi? !"

_**"I've been waiting for you for so long. Please look at me now."**_

For someone who hadn't slept much in the past two days and hadn't consumed anything for one whole day, Sora was doing a great job onstage. Although he looked sick and stumbled across some of the dance moves, people just thought it was an 'emotional effect'. His pronounciation was perfect until they reached the second chorus. He could no longer annunciate and his words came out slurred. His dance moves were sloppy and his eyes looked hazed.

Roxas, who was playing the piano and singing backup, could sense that his brother was going to faint before the song even finished. When it was time for Sora's dance solo, he had already began staggering backwards and eventually fainted onstage with the crowd shocked and screaming.

_**"Now I have no more tears left to cry. When I'm by myself I talk to you like you're here."**_

"Is she going to be okay, Aerith?"

"She'll wake up in a few minutes... but how could you let her drink something like that, Cloud? !"

The instant Kairi fainted, Cloud's first reaction was to check what she drank. He couldn't classify what ingredient had been poured into the water, so he immediately called Aerith and took Kairi to his household. Aerith was the expert when it came to the medical subject, mostly with powders since she worked with herbs and plants.

"It wasn't my fault. I went to talk with Aqua and when I came back, she just fell."

Tifa, who was also in the room, caressed Kairi's pale face, "Poor baby. When she wakes up, you should take her home."

Cloud's concern was more than Tifa wanted to see, "Are there more effects to that powder?"

Zack crossed his arms, "Depends. How much did she take in?"

Aerith examined the drink, "Probably less than a spoonful. There shouldn't be any concern. It's a one in a million chance that there will be more." Kairi moaned, signifying that she had awoken from her slumber.

"We should leave Cloud alone to speak with her," Zack suggested, "She'll get freaked out if she sees us."

Yuffie puffed her cheeks, "But-"

"No buts, Yuf." Tifa began to drag said ninja out the door and was followed swiftly by Zack and Aerith.

Kairi's vision was hazier than ever. She was only able to identify a pair of blue eyes before her, and when it came to blue eyes, she only thought of one person, "S-Sora?"

_The ex-boyfriend?_ Cloud thought, _Interesting_.

Suddenly reality hit Kairi in the face, "CLOUD!"

She sat upright with Cloud keeping her balanced, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I fainted like that! I-I didn't mean to! I just... drank something and-"

He placed a finger to her lips, "It's okay. You're okay now. My friend Aerith took care of you, so you should be fine."

"Aer- where am I?" Kairi checked her surroundings, and found herself in a clean, modernized room with the same theme as her beach house. Although this time, it looked even more technologic if possible. There were holograms floating abound, and the amount of glass furniture was much more than what she had.

"You're in my household," Cloud answered, "I'm about to take you to yours."

_As expected of the heir to have a kickass house... _Kairi had a look of guilt plastered across her face, "I'm sorry your date wasn't what you expected."

Cloud took one of her soft hands in his, "Hey, don't say that. I was with you, that's all that mattered. I thought it was wonderful. And I'm sorry I let you faint like that, I should have been more attentive." He handed her the large moogle plushie he had won for her earlier.

She hugged him tightly while hugging the toy as well, "You took care of me; thank you."

"I promise I won't let anything like that happen to you again," Cloud whispered, "I have to get you home for some rest, okay?" She nodded and followed him down the steps. As expected, Cloud's household was the best. Her household was now second place. As the couple reached the living room on the first floor, Zack came running up to Cloud with excitement in his eyes.

"Cloud, check this out!" He snapped his fingers and a small hologram screen appeared in front of Cloud and Kairi. The island news came on, revealing a young woman of about seventeen to reveal the latest news.

_"During tonight's Battle of The Bands competition, Sora Hikari of The Oathkeepers fainted onstage in the middle of his song number. From what we can collect, The Oathkeepers are going to have one rough week and are definately in danger of disqualification..."_

"Isn't it great?" Zack said as the news still went on. He pushed the hologram aside towards Kairi who was watching it with worry. "Our only sole competition has a higher chance of getting booted out this week!"

"That's not very nice, Zack." Cloud acted. He could see Kairi watching the hologram, staring at the footage of Sora being dragged off the stage by Axel and Roxas. The poor boy looked pale and had tears falling from the edge of his eyes. Kairi felt the need to hold him, getting caught up in the illusion of the hologram.

Her hand merely went through when she tried to touch it. She looked at Cloud with instense eyes, "I have to get home. Now."

_**"I've felt so restless every night. Maybe I've known all along this would happen."**_

"He _fainted_ onstage?" Selphie had asked for nearly the billionth time. Roxas and Axel had taken him home to rest on the living room couch with everyone in the household (minus Kairi) watching over him. For the first time, the household actually came together for one common cause and there was no fighting involved.

Roxas had put Sora in a sitting position and stripped him of his formal vest for faster recovery and began making his brother some food for when he woke up. While he was at it, he made everyone else dinner.

"I feel like kicking that Cloud guy's ass," Axel cracked his knuckles, "It's his fault Sora's Mr. Doom and Gloom."

As much as Riku wanted to say that Sora deserved it, he felt kind of sorry for the brunet. He could pretty much empathasize with him- trying to tell a girl how much he's loved her, experiencing pain in the process...

_Did I just allow myself to think that this punk is actually acceptable to my liking?_ Riku shuddered at the thought. He couldn't befriend the person who stole his love from him.

"Are we going to get disqualified?" Hayner squeaked.

Namine threw a pillow at him, "Hello? Your lead singer just fainted and all you can think about is the stupid competition? !"

The gamer placed his hands behind his head to look as if he were surrendering, "I'm just asking!"

The doorbell rung, and just as Selphie was going to answer it, Sora's hand grabbed her wrist, "I'll... get it..."

"But Sora, you're-"

"It's probably Kairi," He said wearily, sitting upright, "Let me get it."

No one else argued. When it came to Kairi, they had to shut up. Sora stumbled on his way to the door and looked through the stained glass to look on the other side. Surely there was Cloud and Kairi on the porch, but what Sora saw made him want to throw up. Cloud had pulled her into a short kiss on the cheek, but to Sora, it felt like eternity. _At least there wasn't any lip locking..._

He spun around and slid down the door on his back, feeling even more sick than he already had. Kairi, who was on the other side, did the same but out of delight. The ex-lovers were now back to back with a door in between them, feeling completely different emotions. Axel had thrown Sora over his shoulder before answering the door, only to have Kairi walking inside looking worried. She also looked kind of pale.

"Oi, pretty boy!" Axel hollered. Cloud was just about to get on his motorcycle until Axel had called him over. The blond kept his cool and walked over to the red-head calmly. Kairi saw Sora slumped across Axel's shoulder and gasped.

"Why does Kairi look pale?" Axel sounded like an overprotective father.

"Aa," Cloud placed his hands on his hips; he didn't want to show any signs of nervousness, "She fainted after having a small dose of Orichalcum powder."

As soon as Sora heard this, he immediately pushed himself off Axel and shoved Cloud out of the house, "ORICHALCUM? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? !"

Kairi already began to sense the tension and hid behind Riku, the closest person to her. He didn't seem to mind. Namine, who looked frightened as well, ran into the kitchen where Roxas was. He soon returned with Namine clutching onto him; his face was serious, but the pink apron around his waist begged to differ.

"It wasn't my fault," The blond fought back, but kept his calm, stoic attitude; he felt no need to raise his voice, "I did what I could."

"You're her boyfriend! You should've been more attentive and protected her!"

"I did. If she drank more, she could've died."

"Why did you let her drink some in the first place? ! Damnit Cloud, if you're going to date her you could at least take care of her! You're so irresponsible!" _This idiot doesn't deserve to have balls!_

"Sora, I swear if you keep yelling at me-"

"Then what? ! You'll have your daddy kick me off this island? ! What then, Cloud? Who's going to protect Kairi, huh? ! Answer that for me because I know YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF HER!"

"Excuse me? If I wasn't mistaken, you couldn't save her from Seifer before."

Kairi desperately wanted to put an end to the conflict, but the look on Riku's face restrained her from doing so.

Sora nearly pounced on Cloud if Axel hadn't held him back. The rest of the household was watching in disbelief, except for Riku who had gotten in the way, "Sora, what do you gain from hurting him? He's done what he could. It's passed. Kairi's fine. Let it go before more problems result from this."

Cloud, who had the same instinct to hit Sora, resisted the urge to, "You know, I'm going to do the mature thing and walk away. Cool that head of yours and I'll reconsider kicking you out." The handome heir dusted off his shoulder before turning his back and boarding the Fenrir. Axel shut the door after an awkward silence and watched Sora, as did everyone else.

He was already stomping up to his room. Kairi looked worried again. She knew she was the cause of his pain, but he promised that all he wanted for her was to be happy. No matter how much it hurt him. But this time, she wasn't happy. How was she supposed to be happy with him like _that_?

_**"I close my eyes and dream an endless dream. Please leave him and come to me."**_

Sora awoke (well actually he was never asleep) to the sound of coughing and crying next door. He thought he was hallucinating for the first ten minutes until he came to the conclusion that it might actually be real. He got up from his bed and threw on a shirt before he went next door to Kairi's room. He slowly opened the door, still hearing the sick sounds.

The first thing he checked was her bed- the blankets were thrown all over the place and her pillows were scattered on the floor, and that was including a moogle plushie he hadn't seen before. But more importantly, Kairi wasn't in her bed. The bathroom door was wide open along with the lights. Sora looked a little frightened as to what he might see, but if Kairi was in pain, he had to help her. He promised.

In the bathroom, Kairi's face hovered over the toilet with her hands clutching her stomach. She was only wearing a pink tank top and grey cotton shorts. From Sora's perspective, she not only looked sick, but cold. She threw up and coughed afterwards, trying to sooth her aching throat. When she looked up at her mirror (which took up most of the washroom wall), she could see Sora leaning by the doorway with a scared expression on his face.

She was shocked for a second, then ran to hug him. It was powerful- he was almost sent to the ground.

He too, now looked shocked, "Kairi, why are you-" He suddenly remembered the orichalcum powder.

"Help me." Kairi pleaded wearily. He knew Kairi wouldn't normally ask for his help if she were herself. Once again, this was something she'd regret doing in the morning. But nonetheless, she was in dier need of a cure.

Her hair was a mess, her limbs looked weak as ever her eyes were red and teary. Sora nodded and took his cellphone from his sweatpants while keeping an arm around Kairi.

"Hello?" The other line answered groggily.

"Hope, the cure to orichalcum powder; what is it?" Hope could surely help him. He was in medical training, after all. Plus, it was a heck of a lot better than waking up Roxas and risk getting murdered.

"Why are you asking me that now? It's two thirty in the morning!"

"Please Hope, just tell me." Something about his voice told his cousin that it was urgent and that it involved a certain _someone._

"Uh, how much did she have?" Sora looked down at Kairi who pinched her thumb and index finger together, signifying that she only had a little bit.

"A pinch," Sora responded.

"Is she throwing up? Any ulcers...?"

"Yup."

Hope sighed, "Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes and- Vanille, shh!" Sora twitched when he heard a girl giggling in the background. "Just wait for me, okay Sora? I'll cure her."

Sora sighed in relief, "Thank you so much. Are you sure you can do it?"

"It's not a question if you can or can't. You just do."

"That sounded so fortune-cookieish."

"Haha. Lightning actually taught me that. Anyway, before I get there, tie up her hair, lay her down and let her throw up as much as she needs to. She needs to get it out of her system." Hope advised before hanging up.

Sora did just that and tied her hair for her, holding it back as she threw up on the toilet again. He straddled her waist from behind and felt her back relax and lean against him. She sighed and placed a hand on her sweating forehead, the other on the crook of Sora's neck.

"How long have you been like this?" He whispered in her ear.

"About forty minutes." She responded breathlessly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"After all the mean things I've done to you," She stammered through tears, "I didn't think you would help me."

Sora pouted, "Good God what do you take me for? What have I been doing for the past three weeks? For the past four years?" _Caring for you._

Kairi didn't answer. She only proceeded in thanking him, "Thanks, Sora... for helping me."

He didn't respond and just carried her to her bed, laying her down softly. He was going to join her until he tripped over something, realizing that it was Kairi's wallet. He threw it onto her nightstand, not wanting to invade her privacy until he saw a photo sticking out from the edge. He took it and froze.

It was a picture of them two years ago, holding each other in Nautilus.

_Why does she still have this?_ Sora questioned himself. He thought she would've ripped it up by now, but apparently she kept it. Eventually, she'd rip it. She was with Cloud now. This picture meant nothing, although it meant everything to him. She probably didn't even remember it being in her wallet.

Just like she didn't remember him being in her heart.

_**"Please be happy with him so that I can forget you. Please forget how miserable I looked. It's going to be unbearably hard for me for a long while to come."**_

**In the next chapter:**

_"I'd go as far as possible to have you with me again."_

_"I'm willing to listen now."_

_"You say you know everyone's story... what's yours?"_

_"Olette Lovet, I, Hayner Arundel, Master of fun, am going to make sure you have fun this summer!"_

_"You're being abused, Riku?"_

* * *

**Wow, that was a VERY long chapter. But I hope you enjoyed it! I know you all missed the SoKai fluff, so I added a pinch more in here. And don't worry, these sad chapters start disappearing after this one. **

**All the scene breaks are the official english lyrics of Taeyang's wedding dress, which I'm learning the guitar of. It's actually pretty ahrd considering all the extra tab notes O.e **

**So I just got back from going to the amusement park (that's where I sorta got the inspiration xD) for my friend's birthday. It was tons of fun, and I ALMOST won a giant domo plushie, but asian fangirls are VICIOUS. In fact, asian fanboys and asian fathers were so determined to win that domo ): I was one point away from winning!**

**My friends and I planned to play the whack a mole game to win it, and I was going to win (because only little kids were playing xD) until an asian guy played. I'm like... AH, DAMNIT! And the other reason this was a slow update... SUMMER SCHOOL. **

**And plus we have all our important projects this week and I barely have time to write! But I HAVE to write or I don't function right. It's a true fact! If I don't write any stories for at least an hour a day, I won't function right. But anyway, enough about me. Time to talk about you, and how I'm about to reply to your awesometastic reviews :D **

**Stargazer-Aika: You have awesome ninja guessing skills :) And thanks, that means alot! x3**

**Transitions End: That's completely fine! It still shows that you care :)**

**Artism: That's fine! Just the thought or the fact that you're reading makes me happy :D**

**PK711: What exactly do you eman by 'main love plot'? And don't worry, more SoKai yet to come! The story is just beginning :P**

**xX lil eve Xx: aww THANK YOU :3 I remember you! You're the one who likes Xion, right?**

**MindReader13: I finally understand the whole trapezohedron thing. IT'S SO RARE AND YOU HAVE TO KILL LIKE 235254362 ADAMANTOISES TO GET ONE. It's better than paying for it though xD And indeed, Seifer has problems as you can see lol.**

**SaphireWaves: LMFAO well I was just watching it at my cousin's house and I'm like "HUH THAT LOOKS FAMILIAR." xD Not that I watch Hannah Montana... coughcough**

**februaryaired: THANK YOU :3 reading your review made me feel so giddy and happy inside ! :D**

**Shinsei-Yuuki: lol that preview is outdated xD I changed a bunch of stuff :P And don't worry, I'm considering a sequel to Ordinary Freak to make it happier but it's VERY complicated. And I really do hope you think this story is worth it because reading until four in the morning means SO MUCH to me :D**

**Midnight Hell: LOL I would most definately know that song. I'm the typical asian stereotype xD Big Bang, Super Junior, SNSD you name it! But I listen to EVERYTHING.**

**ChuckleBunny: aww thanks for the support again :D I missed seeing your username on my review page! And I'm a rather quick updater :P**

**frozenflower716: OMG YOUR PARTY TODAY WAS AWESOME. I still don't understand how your brother was able to see my Hope wallpaper from all the way the other side of the table O.e**

**DreamStation369: YAY! I LOVE long reviews :D And you know Kimi Ga Iru Kara? Such a pretty song, huh? And LOL I know no one expects Sora to be a fashionista, so I decided to spice things up a bit xP**

**TaylorrrStrife: Aww I didn't mean to make anyone cry D: Was it really that sad? Because if it was, I'm pretty sure the end of this one was pretty sad too :( and LMAO NO DON'T HATE THE STRIFE. HE'S TOO... STRIFEY.**

**TinaaLovesMints: LMAO CLOUD? RAPIST? SAME SENTENCE? I'd kill to see that xD And summer school? It can die in a pityful hole of despair.**

**Sunset of Eternity: LOVE IN THE ICE. -fangirls- And unique bitchness? I virtually love you now xD**

**Suzumiya Haruka: My teacher made it interesting too! She made is food and everything... then suddenly, we were swarmed with worksheets and projects D:**

**Kaze the Renegade: LOL**

**DragoNik: WHOA don't worry, everyone's hating on Cloud at the moment, but no worries, everything will be okay :3 And you're little assumption is right :) And with summer SCHOOL, the word 'school' made a big difference and ruined my life xD**

**DragonLordRay: It may not sound suitable, but minus the wedding part, it fits perfectly :) and LMFAO PORCUPINE VS MOHAWK? Nice comparison xD And I thought the same thing too! I predicted the fedora would just spring off his head :P**

**NightFalcon26: I need sleep xP**

**EternallySky: The english version is pretty good, but it's not the exact translation. They did a great job with making their own lyrics, though :D And YES I've heard Solar! I like 'Superstar' :)**

**Sovereign Beta: LOL i know that's why I picked it ;D**

**PyrusBlaikeRyder: My author notes are exciting? :P Not that interesting to hear me complain about summer school xD**

**Craxuan: ... there's the drugs lol**

**PrincessEyesmiles: LMAO I was listening to the song almost the whole time I was writing this chapter x) It's so addicting!**

**Hearts in the Twilight: Really? I have actually never seen any other KH story that had relations with Korea xD**

**sunshinemeg82: yes I should get that sleep right about now :P And I'm surprised you find the story adorable- everyone else finds it sad :O**

**Well, that was sure alot of meaningful reviews :D Thank you all so much! I can't believe I'm almost about to hit 200! Now, I'm going to play Final Fantasy XIII until I faint and fall asleep... xD You all know the drill; hope you liked the chapter, thanks so much for the support, please review and sorry for all the grammar errors!**

**xoKyorii**


	10. Joysticks

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information: (NEW!)**

**OTHER:**

**Esuna:** A powerful liquid that is injected to one's body to remove their curent ailment.

* * *

**. Chapter X .**

_**. Joysticks .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"I would have traded in my calculator for a joystick any day."_

**Destiny Islands, approximately 2 years ago, Lovelock Mansion **

"Roxas, just a little higher! Come on!"

"How the heck am I supposed go any higher? You're already standing on my _head_!"

"You know, this is _totally_ how I expected to spend my Friday night," Axel balanced Roxas who was standing on his shoulders, desperately trying not to make their tower fall, "Hoisting my best friend's twin brother onto the balcony of his girlfriend's house, letting him have make-up sex with her when we're supposed to be practicing with the band... you know, I bet Sora even forgot to bring protection!"

"Shut up Axel!" Sora yelled from the top; he was so close to the edge of her balcony! Oh, why did his girlfriend's house have to be the highest, richest one on Destiny Islands? _Oh yes, I remember now. Because I got game, scored the mayor's daughter and love her with all my heart._ "It's not like you had anything better to do! Besides, I'm not doing it with her! I'm here to _apologize_!"

"For doing what? ! You didn't do crap!"

"I-I... I don't know what I did either! But, Kairi's a girl... they're complicated!"

Roxas hushed them, "Do you two _want_ to get caught by security? This is the mayor's house, remember? We could be the target of a sniper right now! And I don't even get me started on what her dad will do once he catches you!"

Sora struggled over the top of the rock wall, "Oh calm down will you?" Finally making it over, Sora dusted off his jeans and gave a thumbs up to Roxas and Axel below. Whoa, they climbed pretty high.

From his back pocket, he pulled out a fresh rose. He and Kairi had gotten into a fight two days ago. Apparently feeding a girl's essay to a dog to teach a lesson about excuses isn't the best idea. She hadn't spoken to him ever since, and at school she'd just give him a cold look that could turn him into ice. He shivered at the memory.

Sora took a deep breath before knocking on the elegant glass door, expecting the worst. He saw Kairi peer through the pink curtains before narrowing her eyes and pulling the curtains closed. Sora groaned and knocked again; harder this time. After knocking continously for thirty seconds, Kairi finally opened the door wearing her pajamas and a pissed look on her face.

_Pink pajamas with chocobos_, Sora laughed inwardly,_ Where's the skimpy tank top and TNA pants?_

"What do you want?" She asked sourly.

"Baby, you know it was an accident." Sora pouted as he walked into her dim room. No matter how many times he'd been in there, he still couldn't get over the pink colour scheme and size. It seriously looked like a room fit for a princess. It even had the pillars and everything.

"Don't call me that," She snapped, "What are you doing here, Sora?"

_Ooh. She really looks mad. Time to turn up the charm, lover-boy._

He pulled her into a romantic kiss with an arm around her waist and his other hand cupping her cheek. She struggled against him, trying to pry him off, "G-Get off! I hate you!"

"You don't mean that," He murmured against her lips, "I am _very_ sorry, my love."

She balled her fists when she felt him smirk against her, "S-Sora Hikari I swear if you don't let g-"

"You don't want me to let go, don't lie."

_Cocky idiot!_ Kairi continued to squirm but couldn't escape against his strong hold.

Although Sora was being WAY cockier than usual, she had to admit that he was right. It had been two days since he'd last held her. She didn't want him to let go. If anything, she didn't want their moment to stop.

Suddenly she found herself calming down, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Seducing me with your hotness to be forgiven? You've gone too far, Sora."

He lifted his right arm and handed her the rose he bought, "Depends, did it work? After all, I'd go as far as possible to have you with me again."

_Oh, romantic, caring Sora is back. _Accepting the flower, she grinned at him, "You are most definately forgiven. It's not everyday a girl's boyfriend climbs up a brick wall just to apologize."

She was suddenly pulled into a twirling hug with an overexcited Sora, "YAY! I love you, Kairi!"

Giggling, she was set back down, "Shh, quiet you. My parents are light sleepers!"

"Calm down, they're not going to catch us." Suddenly a knock was heard on Kairi's door, scaring the wits out of the young couple. Kairi could hear a muffled voice from the other side calling her name; it was obviously her father. Sora was already looking for a place to hide, and chose Kairi's closet.

She pulled on his collar, "No! Don't hide in there! My dirty clothes are there, too!"

Rolling his eyes, he decided to hide under the large canopy bed. Kairi fixed her posture and opened the door with an innocent look on her face, "Hi daddy!" Kairi's father was unlike any mayor Destiny Islands had ever had. He was young, witty and acted nothing like his age unless it came to important matters.

"Hey shortie, are you okay? I heard voices coming from your room..."

"U-Uh, I was just on the phone with Selphie."

"At one in the morning?"

"It's a girl thing." Her father didn't look all too convinced but let it slide. He kissed her forehead and wished her goodnight. Then for some odd reason, he got down on his knees and looked under her bed, waving at Sora, "Greetings, Mr. Hikari." Kairi nearly fainted.

"... H-Hi, sir."

x

**Why... why does every little thing you do change the way I feel?**

* * *

"Ngh..." _Where am I? It's so blurry... my head is killing me... o-ow, why does my arm hurt?_ Kairi squirmed from her position only to find herself trapped shut. Someone's hands were tightly gripping her waist, and from what her heart could tell her, it was Sora. It had been awhile since he last held her like that. She remembered it feeling so good. Made her feel... secure.

When she turned around, sudden bright sapphire eyes shot open, scaring the crap out of her. Before she could yell, Sora clasped a hand over her mouth and pointed over her. They were in the living room, sleeping on the couch. On the ground, there were three unknown people to her. She recognized them to be from the band 'Fabula Nova Crystallis', but she didn't know any of them personally. All three were fast asleep; a young girl with pigtails was clinging onto a shirtless silver-haired boy. The other was an older woman with strawberry-blonde hair.

"Mmph, Vanille... gimme my shirt back..."

Her eyes widened; what the heck happened last night? Even Sora was shirtless! _Oh yeah, I forgot he slept shirtless... man, look at those abs. _Sora scurried away from her, panting by a wall.

She tilted her head, "What's wrong?"

He put on a look of guilt, "I shouldn't be doing this. Your boyfriend should. I'm sorry I held you like that. It was instinct."

_A little defensive are we?_ "U-Uh, it's okay-?" For a second there, she was about to call Sora her boyfriend. _Must've gotten caught up in that dream..._ "What happened last night?"

He was walking toward the kitchen, so she decided to follow him. She had a hard time not stepping over the guests in the living room, though. She really did feel woozy.

In the kitchen, Sora was already pouring himself some orange juice on the counter. He slid her a glass too, but she declined. _He looks kinda different today... tired, maybe? His radiance is gone._

"You were sick last night," He said calmly, "It was because of that Orichalcum powder. You were throwing up, so I called my cousin Hope to come help you. He did some medical stuff yesterday that I couldn't understand, so you better ask him about what he did to your arm."

On Kairi's left arm, a bandage was wrapped around it. "Who are the other girls?"

"The one with the pigtails is Vanille. The older one goes by Lightning. They came with him for medical support." Kairi didn't know what to say to that. Sora had been worried about her- even more worried than she was when she found out that he fainted.

"Th-Thanks. For helping me... again."

"You should be thanking Hope. And that Lightning woman. She was instructing him the whole time. But she's pretty scary."

"Ha. Well, you called them and helped take care of me."

"It's what I do." He smiled a broken smile. After finishing his orange juice, the two slowly snuck into the living room only to find the three guests waking from their slumber.

Sora emerged from the plant with Kairi and walked towards the center of the scene, "Ms. Lightning, thanks for helping Kairi. You too, Hope, Vanille." Light nodded in aknowledgement, sending Vanille a final glare before making her way to the door.

She still had the gunblade strapped to her waist and held a dangerous aura around her, "We have to leave. Fang's probably looking for us."

Hope gave Kairi a few word's of wisdom before leaving, "Kairi, you were injected with Esuna liquid yesterday so the Orichalcum should almost be out of your system. Just make sure you don't eat anything hard today, or your body will have a hard time breaking it down. For today, you'll have to eat soup, is that all right?"

"Yes. Thank you so much. And I've seen you perform on Battle of The Bands; you're very talented, Hope."

"Thank you." He bowed before walking out the door with Vanille.

Before the door shut, Sora heard Lightning mutter, "Put your shirt back on." and released his laughter. When he laughed, Kairi saw the radiance return to him. One second he seems upset, the other he's just laughing his ass off.

"Nothing really does bring you down, huh?" Kairi asked.

"There is _one_ thing that did." His laughter began to die down.

"And what's that?"

"The day you broke up with me."

Insert awkward silence here.

"S-Sora, I..."

He bit his lip, "I understood why you did it. I mean, I was a jerk right? You didn't have to listen to me. I didn't deserve to tell you the truth."

_This feels like one of those cheesy asian dramas_, Kairi thought. Sora's radiance was gone again, going back to the monochrome look. She wanted to ask what really happened, but the doorbell decided to ring. It was Axel, ready for his daily visit. He was about to skip up the stairs until he saw the ex-couple staring at each other oddly.

"Huh," Axel's put on his teasing face, "Shirtless Sora plus tired looking Kairi. How'd last night go you two? Was it as _exciting_ as two years ago when I helped Sora onto your balcony and-"

"Axel. Up. Now." Sora growled. Sensing the tension, he ran up the stairs to Roxas' room. As the brunet watched him, he suddenly felt a pang against his chest. It was Kairi, surprisingly clinging onto him with all her might.

"Sorry I didn't listen to you before," She mumbled onto his chest, "But... I'm willing to listen now. Even if I'm with Cloud, there's no harm hearing anything from a friend." _You've proved yourself more than ever. I'm all ears._

_Friend, huh? I'm actually making progress!_ "U-Uh, well-" _F*** you doorbell. _

Kairi answered the door only to come face to face with her boyfriend, being scooped up in his arms.

"Kairi, are you all right?" He asked with pure concern.

Sora, throwing his shirt back on for less suspiscion, answered his question, "She should be. The Esuna's working pretty well."

"Esuna?" Cloud asked, setting her down, "What happened?"

"I just got a little sick, that's all." Kairi assured, "Nothing to worry about. I just have to eat soup all day."

Cloud ruffled her hair, "Well, good. I'll go make you some right now. While I'm at it, I might as well make your household some breakfast." Cloud made his way through the hall towards the kitchen, but collided with Sora on the way. He gave him a dark stare, "What's he doing here?"

"I live here."

"Not what I meant," Cloud cussed, "Did you do anything to Kairi?" Sora looked angry for being accused.

Kairi got in between the both of them, defending Sora, "He was just helping me, Cloud. Nothing else happened. He was just being a good friend." Now looking convinced, Cloud took Kairi's hand and walked towards the kitchen. She kept looking back at Sora for some odd reason, and sent him a smile everytime she did.

Sora too, found himself smiling. He was waving at her, and although she held hands with another man, it was fine. If he was able to rebuild even a small friendship with her, there was no doubt that she could be his again. As long as _this_ existed- he and Kairi, getting along, nothing was going to get in his way. Not even Cloud. He would do whatever it takes to win her back, even if it put him in danger. He promised, didn't he?

x

By ten thirty in the morning, everyone in the household (minus Riku and Namine) was already downstairs and dressed for the day, waiting for breakfast. Hayner, being the only one who wasn't hungry, stayed alone in the living room, playing Modern Warfare. Everyone else was eating in the dining room. Hayner had been playing with more agression lately since Olette had beaten him. He wanted to win and impress her- he wanted to let her know who he really was.

The doorbell rang, and speaking of the devil, Olette was on the other side. "Good morning Hayner."

"Morning, Olette." He greeted, keeping his cool as he sat back down on the couch. It was Saturday; she wasn't even supposed to be here!

"Where is everyone?" She asked.

"Dining room. Breakfast. Go ahead and join them."

"Then you'd be all alone here," She pouted, sitting next to him, "Not hungry?"

He shook his head as to which she disapproved, "You should eat breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day- you're going to end up with an ulcer." Hayner made a face that meant he didn't understand what she just said. "A stomache ache, Hayner."

"Aa," He suddenly felt stupid, "Sorry. I'm just busy keeping my _reputation_ by playing video games." His tone was definately trying to imply something, which Olette clearly understood.

"You think I don't know who you are?" She said wth a half-laugh.

Hayner felt his adrenaline pumping up, but kept it to himself, "N-No one does. Except Kairi and maybe a few of those _noobs_ from the Gamer Club on the island."

"Hayner," Olette straightened out her posture, "Everyone has a story. You don't think I research the people I serve? I know alot of things about all of you. Aqua's told me alot, too."

"And what have you heard about me?" _I'm going to kill you, Aqua._

"I didn't need Aqua's help to figure out who you were. I already knew who you were, Hayner. Arundel Hayner- at the top of the charts for over fifty online games. I fancy myself with news all the time, and everything in the gaming world revolves around you. You're the typical fun-loving gamer. But don't take that in the offensive way. Out of everyone in this household, I think you're the most interesting."

He blushed at that, but was still in shock from her knowledge. So she did know who he was- she knew all along. How could he have doubted her? "You know everyone's story?" He asked with curiosity.

"I know more than you do about your little housemates." She winked.

"Isn't that called stalking?"

"That was your first question to Aqua. I watch your behaviour, too."

"Yup, definately stalking." She laughed at his conclusion. "So," He tapped buttons on the controller while waiting for the game to load, "You say you know everyone's story... what's yours? Sorry if it's a little personal, but since you know alot about me, I think I have the right to some stuff about you."

_That was surprisingly a good point_, Olette blinked twice. No one had ever asked her that before. What was she to say?

"Go on- what makes you Olette? Games make me. Annoying makes Selphie. Condoms and fire make Axel." She giggled at his comment. He seemed to be making her smile a lot today.

There really was no harm in telling him. If he cared, why not share a little? "Well, I'm very organized. I like books, math, science, geography... I guess, anything nerdy makes me. My whole family... parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins... they're either college professers, doctors, scientists... I'm just the next one in line. When I was five, I was given my first scientific calculator and it all began from there, I guess..."

Hayner whistled, her life sure didn't seem like it had a alot of fun in it, "Wow. When I was five, I was given my first joystick to plug into the computer."

Her expression suddenly changed into a look of remorse, "I would have traded in my calculator for a joystick any day."

"Have you ever had _fun_?" Hayner asked, trying not to offend her.

Olette tapped her chin, "I calculated the volume of an oddly shaped pool once- it was pretty fun!"

Hayner sweatdropped, she had it worse than he thought, "Oh my gosh. Sorry Olette, but that's not fun." He stood up on the couch and pointed a finger at her accusingly, "Olette Lovet, I, Hayner Arundel, Master of fun, am going to make sure you have fun this summer! By the time you're done with me, you'll never be the same!"

"Great! Why don't we start with my summer homework?"

"..."

* * *

Namine strode down the hallway with a sketchbook clutched to her chest, humming a familiar tune to herself. She'd grown accustomed to the household (considering that she'd been inside most of the time) and pretty much knew her way around. Now she was on the second floor, about to head down the next set of stairs until she heard wincing coming from Riku's room. With chattering teeth and wobbly legs, she found the courage to peer through his half-open door.

Riku's room, even with the windows open, was really dark. The walls were black, his bed was black, hell, there wasn't anything that _wasn't_ black except Riku himself. On the other side, the albino-haired boy was shirtless (and was quite attractive). dressed in his ripped jeans. Normally Namine would have left, being nervous to see a shirtless being other than her boyfriend, but she didn't. There was something different about Riku. Something wasn't right.

He had large scars running down from his arms and back, and from the looks of it, he was poorly tending his own wounds. He had a cotton ball pinched between his fingers, dipped it in medical alcohol and wiped it across the scars on his arm. He winced again, causing Namine to flinch.

His ears perked up, "Namine."

She shivered at the way he said her name- it didn't sound very welcome. She proceeded in opening the wooden door (which happened to be painted black) and walked into his room.

"What happened to you?" She asked, barely above a whisper. He sighed; his cover was blown. But thank God it was Namine. She knew what this was like, right? Pain, fear... she knew it all.

"If you're thinking I did this to myself, you're wrong."

"I-I... wasn't assuming anything like that." _Those aren't ordinary marks. Must've come from a belt or something._

"I'm guessing you want to know where these came from?"

"..." _I think this is the most I've seen him socialize with someone._

"My parents."

She gasped, "You're being abused, Riku?"

He placed a calloused finger up to his pale lips, "You tell anyone about this, and your blondie boyfriend gets it." She nodded with a hand clasped over her mouth. He continued to heal himself again, but he was far too rough with himself. His hands weren't gentle- they kept shaking. Namine noticed, and helped him. She was far more gentle. The cotton actually felt _nice_ against his skin now, and he could barely feel the pain.

"Why are you doing this? Won't your little boyfriend catch you?"

"He'll understand." _And so will I. Now I know why I was scared of you. I knew you were hiding something suspicious_. "Why didn't you tell us?"

He scoffed, "Like any of you would've done anything."

She placed a hand on her hip, "I'm doing something."

Riku sighed, "Well, that's you. You understand what this is like, right? Ridicule. Fear. Pain?"

_My whole life_, "Yeah, but... I have Roxas."

"Hmph." He continued to let her dab the cotton onto his shoulder, thinking about Xion. _Can love... really fix everything?_

x

"This is really good, Cloud." Roxas complimented, eating his soup. In the dining room, those that decided to be present were happily eating their breakfast. Even Sora looked perky.

"Thanks," Cloud put on a half-grin, "I took hospitality class in tenth grade. Must've grown on me."

Xion pursed her lips, "It's really good, but it could use some potatoes."

"My apologies," Cloud answered, "I did try to find some, but you don't have any."

Axel quirked a brow, "What? Olette just stocked your house yesterday." Just then, Selphie walked into the room while yawning.

"Whoa," Kairi took in her appearance, "You look different today, Selphie."

Sora noticed as well, "Yeah. You look tired as hell."

"I'm fine," She said, plopping down, "Woo that smells good!"

Cloud slid her a bowl, "Eat up." Selphie did just that, and ate quite fast for Kairi's standards. Selphie excused herself to go to the washroom and didn't return after about ten minutes.

"Are you sure you're okay Selph?" Kairi puffed her cheeks. Selphie nodded, but even Kairi could see that she was lying.

* * *

"Wow Strife," Axel tossed his bowl into the sink, "I used to hate you, but now that I've tasted your cooking, I can't say that anymore!"

Cloud flinched, "Uh, I'll take that as a compliment?"

"When it's Axel, you can never tell." Roxas winked, getting started on washing the dishes, "But he is right about your cooking, Cloud. It's fantastic! You should come over for dinner some time- I can help you, if you'd like."

Sora muttered, "Unless he hires a high class culinary crew and brings them with him." Kairi gently elbowed him.

Cloud looked like he just had an epiphany, "Ah! Speaking of dinner, Kairi sweetie, my parents would like to meet you next Saturday." If Sora's reflexes weren't so fast, Kairi would have fainted.

"Wh-What?" She choked. _Aren't his parents like... big shots? And his brother will be there, too!_

Cloud stifled a laugh at her reaction, "Don't worry. They've asked The Oathkeepers to attend as well." It was Axel's turn to faint. Sadly, no one caught him.

"Wh-Why?" Sora whined.

"They want to meet my new girlfriend, as well as the toughest band on the island." Cloud answered, "They just want a little performance from you guys. One little song, that's all. Then you can eat."

Axel came back to life, "Is the food there better than your cooking?"

"Made by world famous chefs around the galaxy."

"I love you, man!" Axel glomped him into a man hug, but was gently pushed away.

Cloud looked like a guy never hugged him before, but let it slide, "So what do you say?"

Kairi had a change in heart, "Hmm, alright. Sounds fun. I'm just worried that your parents won't approve of me."

The young heir laughed and kissed her cheek, "Yeah, like they'd disapprove _you_." Sora rolled his eyes.

"Kay, I'll go tell Hayner!" Kairi skipped off into the living room, followed by Cloud.

"What's the real reason we're going?" Sora asked darkly when Kairi was out of earshot; there had to be something Cloud was hiding.

Cloud didn't want to tell Sora he was going to be there just to raise his jealousy even more, so he made up a lie, "Maybe when my dad hears you play, he'll think it's pathetic and kick you annoying children out."

When Cloud left, Axel crossed his arms, "I take it back. I hate that bitch."

x

Xion headed up the staircase to search for Riku who hadn't been downstairs all morning. When she knocked on his door, Namine was the first to leave. She scurried off so fast Xion couldn't ask what she was doing in there. Riku hated it when people other than her and himself went in his room. When she walked inside, Riku was putting on his shirt. She blushed; she had never seen him shirtless regardless of the fact that they had been best friends for two years. He was ripped. But then there were those scars...

"X-Xion!" Riku jumped, putting on his shirt faster.

She shielded her eyes, "Uh, sorry. What was Namine...?"

Riku took in the facts. Shirtless Riku. Nervous Namine. OHSNAP, "It's not what it looks like, I swear."

Xion laughed, "I'm not going to judge you."

He gaped, "Nothing happened!"

"I'm your best friend. I think I would know if you're telling the truth," She sat on his computer chair, "So what happened?"

There was no escaping when it came to Xion, "I told her."

Xion stopped spinning around on the chair and froze, "What?"

"I told her."

"About _it_?"

"Y-Yeah. But I didn't intend to. She walked in."

Xion felt neglected and unimportant all of a sudden, "But I thought... I was the only one who was supposed to know."

Riku sensed her disappointment, "It was an accident, Xion. They happen. She promised to keep it a secret."

She shook her head, "No, it's okay... I guess you'll be talking with Namine more often, so-"

"What?" Xion twitched a little. Riku was starting to grow a dark aura around him, and it must have been _really_ dark if she could see it through his room. "You think I'm going to leave you behind all of a sudden?" He spat, "How could you assume that?"

"It's just... she knows now. Won't you be spending more time with her? I'll understand. Might be a little hard for me, but I can-"

"You think I don't notice you with that Roxas kid?" Riku suddenly brought up. Oh, he was angry now._ So much for telling her how I feel_, "Do you know how _I_ feel, Xion? Where have you been for the past week?" It wasn't an actual question; more like a statement, and Xion got exactly what he was trying to say.

"Well sorry!" She flinged her hands in the air, "I didn't know I was supposed to spend my whole vacation being with you!"

"You were the one who invited me," He deadpanned, "Kinda gives you a sense of authority to be with me. The instant you met that blond twin, it was over. You fell. Again."

"Whaa-NO. A-And what do you mean by... it was over?"

"Our friendship."

**In the next chapter:**

_"Sergeant Farron, may I please ask for your assistance?"_

_"We only have one sole mission- to destroy Cloud Strife."_

_"I swore to be yours, and only yours."_

_"You need to get out and relax."_

_"LET'S BOWL!"_

* * *

**I know, a little intense there. But I'm pretty sure Riku isn't thinking right. It was a little fast, but realistic. Sometimes my best friend and I get into situations like that. This chapter actually wasn't supposed to end like that :P **

**And SORRY for the late update. I finally finished summer school and aced the whole thing ;D Last time I checked, I had a 94, dropped to 88, back up to 92 and stayed 92 ;P I just did the exam this morning. IT WAS SO EASY.**

**Oh, and I can't reply to your reviews. I'm packing up right now, and I'm kinda pissed while ding so. Packing gets really intense in my family. You forget one thing and its like 2012. But I am excited to see my cousin, so there's the bright side. Yes, I am going to the birthplace of 'Masquerade'. **

**I'll be driving all the way to Maryland, USA. And I live in Canada. 12 hour car drive. WEEEE. And the reason this chapter was sorta rushed is cause I gotta leave now, and I'm not sure how long it will take me to update again! I'm at my cousins for three weeks and I don't know if my laptop can get internet there, so :O Maybe you'll have to wait! Anyway, there's so many stories I wanna tell you, but I can't right now so stay tuned! I'll tell you all next time! By the way, favour for a friend, read FreedomRocker's story. It's epic :D**

**Love you all, sorry for grammar errors, please review and did anyone notice everything in this chapter happened in the span of two hours? :P**

**xoKyorii**


	11. Tying Up Loose Ends

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (New!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Tidus Fair Clearwater (Stage 2):** Has been upgraded to one of Sora's best friends. He supports him on his quest to win back Kairi (one of his childhood friends) at all costs. He's in a serious relationship with Yuna and is the cousin of Zack Fair. Age 17.

**Lightning Averia Farron (Stage 2):** Has been upgraded to Hope's medical teacher. Although she's in the military, she's an excellent medic and supports her apprentice's dream. She looks out for Hope for unknown reasons. She creates a pact with Sora to destroy her ex-boyfriend, Cloud Strife. Age 19.

**Hope Estheim (Stage 2):** Lightning's medical apprentice and is the boy who Vanille is dealing with. He has mixed feelings between Lightning and Vanille and is the closest first cousin of Sora and Roxas. Age 16.

****Note:** For all you FFXIII fans out there, please pick a girl for Hopie-boy! Vanille or Lightning? Tough decision :/

**OTHER:**

**SOLDIER: **An army division in Shinra that Cloud trains under.

**Guardian Corps:** A security regiment in Bodhum under PSICOM that Lightning trains under.

**Waysian:** Half white, half asian.

* * *

**. Chapter XI .**

_**. Tying Up Loose Ends .**_

**Line Of The Chapter:**  
_"Tie it around your ankle first..."_

"Hello, you have reached the Hikari Residence. Sorry for the inconvenience, but we are not here at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep. BEEP."

"Nice try, Sora."

"Ha, sorry Hope. What do you need?"

"Uh, listen. Light left her gloves there this morning, and she really wants them back. Mind if we swing by and pick them up in a few minutes?"

"No problem."

x

For the remainder of the afternoon, Cloud spent the day with Kairi (much to Tifa's dismay who was watching them from afar with Aqua) to keep her company. It was the least he could do for letting her drink the Orichalcum.

"Thank for spending the day with me, Cloud." By sunset, the couple returned to the Hikari household. Cloud, being the gentleman he was, offered to open the door only to come face to face with his ex-girlfriend, Lightning Farron.

"Claire." He greeted calmly.

She hissed, "Don't call me that." Hope, who was trailing behind her, got worried. It wasn't like Lightning to get angry so fast- who exactly was this guy to her?

"I heard you switched over to the Guardian Corps." Cloud started, trying to make a decent conversation.

"What's it to you?" Lightning asked coldly, her hand at the ready to grab her gunblade.

The heir merely shrugged, "Guess you couldn't handle SOLDIER like I thought you could."

Hope sensed this wrong move and grabbed Light's wrist, preventing her form unsheathing her weapon. Cloud kissed Kairi cheek one last time before leaving- it was for the better. With Lightning, there was actually a chance that he'd get hurt.

"Who was he?" Hope tugged on his teacher's arm. He didn't mean in literally; he just wanted to know who this man was to Lightning. As her trusted apprentice, he felt obliged to receive the honest truth.

"Old boyfriend." She responded in her regular monotone voice. By the looks of it, things didn't end well between them. "I'll spare the details." She didn't feel comfortable revealing her secrets in a place she wasn't familiar with.

On the other hand, Hope twitched. Light _dated_? A spark of hope lit up, but then he remembered Vanille...

Kairi sensed the tension, and felt the need to leave. It was weird to be with her boyfriend's ex.

"Hey Kairi!" Hope greeted, making the air more welcoming, "How are you feeling?"

She bowed before him in respect, "Much better, thank you. Y-You too, Ms. Lightning." And with that, she scurried up the stairs.

Sora, who had been leading them out the door and heard everything, smirked at the strawberry-blonde soldier, "So, you hate that Cloud guy too?"

"He's an idiot." Sora couldn't help but agree.

Just as Lightning was about to step out the door, Sora grabbed her wrist. She turned her head and gave him a cold stare, signalling him to let go. He did. But the way his lips were formed made it look like he wanted to say something important, so she let him proceed in doing so.

"Sergeant Farron," He outstretched his hand towards her (which she found stupid considering that she just told him to let go), "May I please ask for your assistance?"

Hope could tell Lightning was a little shocked by this statement- she barely knew the guy and he was already asking for help?

_Bad move,_ Hope gulped.

On the contrary, Lightning seemed intrigued, "Hm, what do you need?"

"You hate him don't you? Cloud?"

"My opinion isn't needed. Cut to the chase."

"Could you help me destroy him?" _What a nice choice of words,_ Sora inwardly laughed at his mad English skills.

Lightning noticed, a playful smirk gracing its way towards her lips, "I'm game." She didn't bother shaking Sora's hand, but it was no matter since he was already jumping up and down like a child. Hope felt like he had just experienced a hoax- did Lightning just agree to something? And SMILE?

"Thank you Ms. Farron," He bowed in gratitude, "I'll give you a call if I need your help. Please consider this a pact between us. We only have one sole mission- to destroy Cloud Strife." Hope was beginning to worry. What did his cousin exactly mean by 'destroy'?

"Right," She took in his determined face, "And call me Light."

Sora nodded as she saluted and walked out the door with Hope skipping beside her, questioning her generosity towards his cousin.

"He's the one, right?" Light suddenly asked with her back turned to the younger male, "That cousin of yours that's hopelessly in love? The one who fainted onstage."

"Don't tell me you've gotten soft, Light," Hope teased, but regretted saying it just in case he got hurt, "Is that why you want to help him? It's not like you to go in harm's way to help someone you barely know." _Okay Hope, you should just shut up before she kills you._

Luckily, Lightning seemed pleased today. "Meh, kid's got potential," She shrugged, "I like his thinking- he sets a goal for himself and blocks out everything else. He'll stop at nothing to get this girl back." She then turned to flick Hope's forehead, "And maybe the reason I've gotten soft is because my apprentice is the softest guy on this island." She tousled his hair teasingly. After he was dazed by her touch, he finally got her joke.

"Hey!"

* * *

Say Kairi, why do you tie your shoes like that? It's pretty cool.

Kairi looked down at her pink high-top converse that Aqua had noticed. Since converse shoelaces were longer than usual, Kairi tied them around her ankle _then_ tied the ribbon. Her thoughts were lost when she began to think about the reason she tied her shoes that way.

**Destiny Islands, Destiny Academy, approx. 2 years ago**

He was an interesting person. He really was. She had only met him a week ago, and from what she could gather, he was just... interesting. Interesting in a good way.

Kairi fumbled with her converse shoelaces, desperately trying to tie enough knots to make it look short. Converse laces were far too long- who in their right mind could tie this perfectly short?

She took a glance at Sora who was sitting behind her, watching her with a rather amusing smirk on his face with his arms crossed over his desk. He, in fact, was not taking down notes like she expected. He had been watching her- flattering, but a little creepy considering that they were the only two in the classroom. She looked down at his shoes only to find that they were high-top converse as well. Two differences; his was maroon, and they were tied perfectly.

She sweatdropped; how ironic.

Judging by the -adorable- look on her face, he assumed she wanted to figure out how he tied his shoes.

"Tie it around your ankle first." He stood from his seat and knelt before her, tying her shoelaces around her small ankle. He was so gentle with her that it made her want to sigh inwardly. The sudden interaction made her heart flutter- he was so darn cute, concentratinng on tying her shoelaces like that...

At first she thought the idea was weird, but she had to admit, not only was it conveniently short, but it had a nice style to it.

"Thanks." She tried to hide the pink tint on her cheeks. Having him invade some personal space was a little uncomfortable, but it did make her feel warm inside. He winked as he sat back down in his seat with a satisfied look in his face.

"Anytime."

**Present Day**

Kairi? Hello? Helloooo? I think we've lost her, Pence.

Kairi blinked twice, coming back into reality. "Oh, uh, it's a little trick I learned from Sora." Aqua smirked, and the auburn head didn't like it.

So I guess you're on good terms with him now? 

"Yeah, I guess. We're friends now." Aqua grinned, impressed at how much progress the ex-couple made since they've first encountered. She was told by Roxas that Kairi's first words were "I'm going home", but she highly doubted this girl wanted to go home anytime soon.

"Good morning Kairi, Aqua, Pence, Ventus," Sora greeted as he walked downstairs, obviously not respecting the fact that they were doing an interview, "Want some breakfast? I'm about to help Roxas in the kitchen right now."

Kairi giggled, "Remember what happened last time? You couldn't even turn on a stove!"

Sora playfully glared at her, "Oh shut up!" Soon the two began laughing together- hearing this made Namine (who was watching from the backyard patio) want to cry tears of joy. Kairi never laughed like that with Cloud before. Kairi never laughed with anyone like that before.

She and Sora would be together by the end of the summer. She was sure of it.

x

As Roxas strolled down the hallway, trying to find his acoustic guitar, he looked out the window only to find his girlfriend moping by the patio in the backyard. It was nice to see her out of the house (well technically she was still within the house's perimeter), but looking like that? Not cool in Roxie's book.

Pushing the thought of his acoustic guitar aside, he rode down the railings of the stairwell and ran out the elegant double doors towards his lover. He hadn't been spending much time with her for the past week (band practice and a certain short haired girl), but she reassured him that she was fine. Now, it didn't look like it.

"Nami." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. He knew she loved it when he did that. Her frail hands gripped the railings of the fence as she began to feel uneasy from the light kisses he placed on the back of her neck. "Is something wrong?"

She flinched, "Promise not to tell." He was taken aback by her tone. She hadn't sounded like that since she first met him. She sounded scared and weary- he didn't like it.

"I promise, baby. Now what happened?"

Caressing his cheek with one hand, she whispered, "Riku's being abused by his parents."

Roxas sighed, "I know."

She was shocked, "You knew?"

"It's not hard to get. He's afraid to show his skin and his attitude gives it away. That, and Xion told me they got into a fight. I'm pretty sure it was about _that_." _And she tells me you were mysteriously in his room... _Roxas thought, but didn't say it out loud. Not that he'd doubt his girlfriend- he trusted her with all his heart.

Namine whispered the name of the girl who was taking her Roxie away, "Xion..."

Roxas, sensing her change in mood, soun her around to face him. He held her tightly with grace so she wouldn't feel crushed. "Namine, you are my one and only love. I swore to be yours, and only yours. You're the only one for me. I will never leave you- don't you remember I promised you that day we watched the stars together?"

Her lips curved into a smile, remembering the fond memory, "Yes. I remember. Thank you." Without a doubt, Namine knew Roxas was telling the truth. They have been dating for almost a year- she knew the musician too well. He had been so good to her. There was no way he could let her down.

From above, Riku was watching the scene from his balcony with crossed arms. He wasn't jealous or anything. That thing he felt with Namine was pretty much nothing. He realized she made the pain go away because she understood him, not because he was starting to fall for her. He wasn't sure about Xion, though. Said girl was watching from her own balcony next door, watching Riku with sad eyes. She mouthed something to him, most likely an apology, and hoped for the best.

He just glared at her and walked back into the darkness that he liked to call his room.

* * *

"Bowling, huh?" Sora repeated, crunching his nose. He really wasn't one for bowling- not only did he suck at it, but he found the taste in shoes to be embarassing. If Sora were to actually care about what he was wearing, he'd care about his shoes the most. If they weren't high-tops, sneakers or any form of converse, they were just plain wrong.

"Come _on_ Sora," Tidus pleaded on the other line of the phone, "You need to go out. You need to relax. You haven't let loose ever since you fainted- and believe me, if I were you, I'd go out and have fun right now."

Sora sweatdropped, "Tidus, the reason I'm not going is _because_ I fainted. I have to step my game up so I can stay in the competition."

"Bowling, huh?" Sora was so caught up in the conversation he hadn't noticed his sworn enemy in the kitchen with him.

"Gimme a sec," Sora whispered to his cell phone before covering the speaker, "What's it to ya?" Surprisingly, Kairi wasn't clinging onto her boyfriend like she usually was. In fact, Kairi wasn't even there.

"I'm going bowling tonight with my friends, too." Cloud began to open the fridge to find some orange juice. He wanted to add "Maybe I'll kick your ass again", but decided not to get the ex-boyfriend _too_ angry. After all, he was in a risky position. Poor guy needed a break- even Cloud saw it. Sometimes he regretted hurting him as part of his job, but he'd never really admit that.

A smirk found its way to Sora's lips as he uncovered the speaker, "Change of heart, Tidus. Let's bowl tonight. Mind if some friends come along?"

Cloud heard the shaggy blond on the other line mumble something excitedly then hang up. "Why the sudden interest in going now?"

"So I can kick your waysian ass."

Cloud inwardly pouted,_ That's my line..._

x

By 7:30pm, Sora and some of his housemates arrived at the bowling alley using Roxas' convertible. The blond didn't mind as long as his brother drove, not anyone else (especially Axel- he had a tendency to set shiny things on fire). It had to be his own blood that he trusted with his baby (other than Namine, of course). The couple decided that they wouldn't go- Namine was afraid so Roxas kept her company. It was the least he could do after all that time he missed with her.

Kairi was most definately going since Cloud was there (in fact he invited her himself). Selphie went because of Kairi. Axel decided to go, muttering something about setting pins on fire. Hayner, who normally didn't go out, went with Olette as part of his 'summer fun' plan. Riku stayed so he could get his thoughts and feelings straight about his best friend. Xion came since Axel (introduced to her by Roxas) asked her to tag along since they were getting on good terms with each other.

And Sora... Sora was there for obvious reasons.

"Wait a second," Kairi pursed her lips as she left the passenger seat, "Sora, you don't have your full license that allows you to drive by yourself yet!"

He shrugged, "So?"

"You need an adult in the car!"

With a smirk on his face, Sora lifted the trunk of his brother's car and let a tied-up Axel out. The poor pyromaniac was banging on the trunk with his head the whole time, begging to be let out. But, Axel was 18- he was practically an adult... appearance wise, that is.

"Technically, Axel _was_ in the car." Sora winked, "We didn't have enough room in the car for him anyway..."

Hayner snickered, "Well that's because Selphie's fat ass took up all the seat space." Olette whacked him in the head while Selphie looked more offended than usual.

Kairi laughed at Sora's logic and entered the bowling alley in awe. Judging by the outside, it would be modern and epic inside.

"Sora!" A familiar voice holloered said boy over to their lane. Every night in the alley was known as 'cosmic bowling', so the alley was filled with bright, colourful spotlights, patterns and whatnot. It looked more like a school dance than an actual bowling alley. Music was blaring from the speakers, too. It wasn't as crowded as they thought, but there was still a large amount of people. Every lane was full.

"Tidus!" Sora greeted him with a high-five along with some guys that came along with him. He greeted the girls with hugs, although most of them had already glomped him. Being the lead singer of a now famous rock band on the island did mean dreaded fangirls from time to time. Kairi cringed a little at the sight- there were about three girls oggling him now.

"Hey Sora," Yuna, Tidus' girlfriend, walked up to him and gave him a quick hug regardless of the all the girls around him, "Are you all right? You took quite a spill during your last performance."

Sora inwardly gave himself a sour look, "Y-Yeah." It wasn't something he liked thinking about. But nonetheless, he appreciated her concern.

"Well," Yuna tapped his shoulder playfully; she had a rather giddy attitude, "I'm on the dance club on the island, and all the dancers saw you dance that 'Wedding Dress' dance and they were _beyond _amazed! You should come visit us sometime! You're really good at dancing, so why not show your talent? We cover all the styles."

"Hm," Sora considered it, "Sure, why not? I'll check it out sometime."

Although dancing wasn't something Sora practiced daily, it was a talent he was born with. He enjoyed it, as did Roxas. He had to inform his brother about this sometime. Maybe Axel, too. He knew for a fact the red-head couldn't just play the drums.

"Kairi." Said girl spun around and hugged her boyfriend who was conveniently on the lane beside theirs. He came along with some of his friends, too, and one of time (Axel recognized this to be Tifa) was staring at Kairi intensely.

"What's up with the security in here?" Hayner noticed that they alley had at least ten security guards roaming around, watching everyone carefully.

"I told my dad to bring up the security levels," Cloud pulled Kairi to him tightly, "I don't want Kairi getting hurt again. Whoever had that Orichalcum must be very dangerous, and I'm sure they're still out there."

Axel scoffed, "So? Hunt him down smart one."

"There's over a million teenagers here," Olette said a matter-of-factly, "Orichalcum is only from Twilight Town. There must be thousands here from Twilight Town. It will be difficult to narrow them all down."

Cloud appreciated her explanation and was cuddled tighter by Kairi, "Cloud, you didn't have to do that for me. I'm fine now, aren't I?"

"I'm not taking any chances," He kissed her cheek, "I want you safe. I want everyone safe."

Sora inwardly mimicked him with a high pitched voice.

"Well, what are we all waiting for?" Tidus punched a fist into the air enthusiastically, "LET'S BOWL!" Those who just arrived made their way over to the cashier and ordered their shoes and paid for themselves. Kairi, who recently sat back down at their lane, began to take off her shoes and tie the laces.

"Let me get that for you," Cloud knelt before her and tied them, trying to be a gentleman. Kairi let him, of course, but the way he tied them wasn't the way she liked. The laces were long, and Cloud didn't tie them around her ankle. She didn't want to tell him what to do or tell him to stop; she found it rude. _Stop being so concious, Kairi! Just let him do what he wants._

When Cloud finished, he went back to his lane and took his turn. He didn't strike it like the perfect boyfriend he was- he actually missed one. Sora snickered at this, but of course, Sora being Sora, he only _got_ one. Kairi laughed at this. Sora didn't mind- as long as Kairi was happy now, he could be happy. After a few runs, it was Kairi's fifth turn. She took her bowling ball and looked at the pins from afar. She walked forward, only to have Sora yell at her.

Her shoelaces were untied, and before she could notice, she had already tripped and landed face first on the ground. Not only that, but poor Kairi landed on her bowling ball. Unfortunately, Prince Charming wasn't there in time to catch her.

"Kairi, are you all right?" Cloud asked, rushing to her side. Sora was already ahead of him, checking her for any injuries. The only one he could find was a busted lip. The side was bleeding, but Kairi herself didn't look all too hurt. In fact, she was laughing at herself.

"Come on, let me help you." Cloud offered his hand, but Sora smacked it away, "I'll do it. I think you've done enough."

Cloud didn't mind his attitude- it was the look on Sora's face that made him back off. Sora led Kairi towards a seat and was given a handkerchief by Yuna. He poured some water from a water bottle on it and began to cleanse the wound on Kairi's face, to which Kairi smiled at him softly.

"I can do this myself, Sora."

"I'm your friend. I'm going to help." He said sternly, but kept the playful smile on his face. When he was finished, he tied her shoes like he used to, around her ankle first so that she'd be safe.

She flicked his forehead, "Thanks."

Sora, with a satisfied look on his face, ran a hand through his hair with a triumphant smile, "Anytime."

**In the next chapter:**

_"These are wish-granting fireworks, you know. It's a silly legend, but I like to believe in them."_

_"Leadenstrike racing?"_

_"A keyblade?"_

_"I want you to see me as more than the boy you knew two years ago..."_

_"I love you. Truly, I do. More than anything."_

* * *

**You know, I wasn't supposed to update until 2 weeks from now, but I thought that if I didn't update for a month I might as well go crazy xD I don't get back home until two weeks, and my laptop here in Maryland doesn't have internet. So, I wrote the chapter on my cousin's laptop which she gladly let me use :) So sorry for the late update, but I tried my best to get to you! Anyway, I did promise I had alot to tell you guys. Well, for one, this story might take alot longer than I think. I'm going to slow down the plot a little, if that's all right. That means more chapters- are you all willing to go through the blood, sweat and tears with me? **

**But if you're wondering, I got the inspiration for this chapter when I saw Kairi's shoes. They laced around her ankle and I found it kinda cool. So now I'm here in Maryland, USA. I'm with my cousins, and it's like the perfect vacation for me :) It's nice and quiet here, and it's so inspiring. It's a good little break from the city life I have back in Canada. I like the people here, too. Big dreams and are very nice :) I met my cousin's friends, and they're AWESOME!**

**It was so easy to get along with them- they listen to kpop, they love art, they're epicly crazy... it was perfect. And did I tell you guys that someone stole my cell phone awhile back in Canada? Yeah. Someone legit stole it from my bag. I got it back four days after and it was kind of a funny journey as to how I got it back.**

**Well, the person wasn't so clever and activated the GPS on day 3. My mom works at Bell, the phone company. We tracked them down, I told them I tracked them down on facebook, and they got scared shitless so they gave it back the next day xD I got it back from the school office, then when I check my phone, it was squeaky clean. I had icky stickers from before that I tried to rip off, and the person cleaned it for me it attempt to sell it :P They stole my memory card thing, though :( AND my case (insert angry face here)**

**But on day 4, I logged into my facebook on my phone and as clever as the guy who stole it was, he forgot to sign out :P So now, I know who stole it WAHAHAHAHA. **

**And again, sorry I can't reply to your reviews (but I promise I will next time!) because my cousin needs her laptop. I feel bad for taking it away from her because she loves it so much D:**

**Anyway, thank you all for your support, and I promise you, the next chapter is gonna be EPIC :) Fluffy, dramatic and all that jazz ;) Please don't forget to review, sorry for any grammar errors and I love you all! This story is all dedicated to all of you :)**

**xoKyorii**


	12. Cavalcade of Lights

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (New!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Squall Leonhart (Stage 2): **Goes by 'Leon' and is dating Rinoa Heartilly. He is the lead singer of SeeD and absolutely loathes his family friend Seifer. He is also the second cousin of Sora and Roxas, but they aren't that close. Age 18.

**Neku Sakuraba (Stage 1):** Claims he doesn't 'get people' and is a member of Sora's blitzball team back in Carbuncle Academy. Age 16.

**PLACES:**

**Seaside City of Bodhum:** The small, yet modern, calming seaside city where Lightning, Serah and Snow reside. About a year ago, Sora and Tidus paid a visit to this city for a blitzball tournament.

**Eden:** The capital city of the world Cocoon and is where the last Leadenstrike race took place.

**Carbuncle Academy: **The elite academy Sora, Hope and Neku attend back in Palumpolum.

**OTHER:**

**Bodhum Fireworks Festival:** A tourist-attracting festival in Bodhum hosted every year where wish granting fireworks illuminate the sky and civilians can enjoy themselves in a festival by the beach.

**Leadenstrike Racing:** A type of futuristic race that involves teams of two people (a driver and an attacker), a high speed vehicle, traps and weapons. Racers are not to harm each other with the weapons- they are only used to disable traps and to get through different obstacles. Only those who love danger and are willing to fight should take on this risky activity.

**Manadrive Glove:** A glove used by the military to give the wielder offensive/curative elemental magic.

**Keyblade:** The newest weapon model used in the military. It's giant key like shape is not only light weight and appealing but is made to resist elements of all kinds.

* * *

**. Chapter XII .**

_**. Cavalcade of Lights .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"Sora Hikari, don't you pass out on me! I...I-! I love you too!"_

**Seaside City of Bodhum, approximately 1 year ago**

"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" Sora walked forward and gripped the balcony railings with his hands, adoring the firework show before him.

His companion merely 'hmmphed' and turned his head the other way. Sighing, the enthusiastic brunet tried to lighten up the red-head's soul although he knew it would be futile.

"Come on Neku. There's a firework show by the most breathtaking beach and you're at a festival filled with people! Plus we just won a tournament today- live a little!"

"Stop acting like a girl." Neku spat, not bothering to look at his teammate. Sora rolled his eyes and continued to watch the colourful patterns in the dome along with other civilians. On a certain ledge, he could see a tall blond with a beanie hat spinning a shorter girl with pink hair around in his arms. By the looks of it, he had just confessed his love for her.

Forgetting Neku, Sora smiled ironically, "But it really is gorgeous, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't call them _gorgeous_," A more playful voice said from behind, "Not with Yuna in comparison."

Sora ran a hand through his unruly messy spikes, thinking of how beautiful Kairi was the last time he saw her, "Heh, yeah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Sora laughed inwardly as Neku left, not interested in their 'girl talk', "So why don't you just ask her out, Tidus?"

"You're kidding, right?" He stepped next to him, "She's popular, beautiful, talented- I bet a billion guys are after her! What difference do I make?"

Sora grinned, "You love her for herself. Bet all those guys only want her for... _other_ reasons." The thought made Tidus cringe, but Sora kept on going, "And you are popular! Captain of the blitzball team? Heh, except you got your butt kicked by our school today." With that said, the brunet wrapped an arm around the blond's shoulders as if putting him in a half-headlock.

Tidus smirked knowing Sora was just messing with him, "I went easy on you. Besides, that Neku guy- I don't care if he's antisocial and short. He is _vicious _out there."

"Yeah, I guess some people just surprise you." Sora said, looking off into the distance.

"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" That was obviously rhetorical.

Sora's grip weakened, "How is she these days?"

Tidus tried to shrug from his position, "Can't really tell. She's always running off to the beach with Selphie."

Sora tightened his hold around Tidus again, "No boyfriend?"

"No," Sora's heart calmed, "Although Selphie keeps telling me she's always yelling at the sky because of a certain _someone_. Cough cough nudge." Sora ignored this and felt melancholic. On one hand, he was glad that Kairi still remembered him. On the other, she hated him. How perfect.

"I know you still love her," Tidus continued, "I've tried telling her, but..."

"I know." The other athlete said sourly, "She won't believe you." Tidus, already hearing both sides of the story, sighed at their life-changing mishap.

"These are wish granting fireworks, you know." He suddenly said, "It's a silly legend, but I like to believe in them." Sora seemed to be giving it some thought- he was obviously wishing for something.

As he watched the bright patterns in the virtual transparent dome, he couldn't help but think of the girl who changed his life. The girl who was always there for him and loved him with all her heart. They had been through so much together- nothing could possibly bring them down. They were inseperable, until now. He felt lonely and would give anything just to see her again. She had promised him once that their hearts were connected, but now her heart just repelled his.

But these fireworks... it was like she was there. Bright, radiant, unique... he had never seen fireworks like this before. They had patterns, a shape, a purpose; to entertain and inspire. Kairi's purpose was to complete him.

"I wish," He whispered, forgetting Tidus' presence, "I wish you wanted to be with me again."

His friend snorted, "Like that's ever gonna happen."

Sora frowned, "Why not?"

"It already has." He simply answered.

Sora dug his converse deeper into the sand, looking doubtful, "I don't think she wants to be with someone who lied to her."

"But you _didn't_ lie to her!" Tidus exclaimed, "She hates you for something you didn't do. It just happened to appear like a lie! You can make things right again, Sora. You are a determined person! You're always telling me to make a move on Yuna- let's start with you and Kairi! You're both my friends. I want to see you happy! Now how can you be happy if none of you will move?"

Sora blinked twice in defeat; he wasn't one to give in easily, but it was _Tidus-_ spunky and determined, just like him, "... I hate it when you do that."

"Heh, but you know I'm right. Now get your arm off me. We look like a gay couple."

Sora laughed and obeyed Tidus' playful demand, "Who knows, Tidus? What if I'm really falling for you and am using Kairi as a decoy? Maybe my heart asked those fireworks for something else."

Watching the brunet wink seductively made Tidus laugh. Everything made sense now. He knew exactly why Kairi, one of his best childhood friends, would fall for someone like Sora. He was _perfect_ for her.

**Present Day**

"Leadenstrike racing?" Sora propped his elbow up to the armrest of the couch, examining a brochure with his other hand. From the looks of it, he didn't look all too convinced.

Tidus, on the other hand, was the complete opposite, "We have to try it, man! They brought it here for us to enjoy, only ours is virtual and safer. No real damage done. It's like that virtual training thing that those soldiers in Shinra use! Sounds epic, huh?"

_Used by soldiers, huh? If I do go through with this, I should give Lightning a call._

Selphie (who surprisingly wasn't shopping), was reading a magazine on the couch adjacent from Sora. Heaven forbid she wasn't shopping just because Tidus was in the house. She turned her attention away from the book and diverted it onto the two boys, "Sounds dangerous if you ask me."

"Aw, come on, Selph!" Tidus put her in a soft headlock from behind, unaware of the blush on her cheeks, "We can handle it. Besides, no one asked you!" She laughed though it sounded wearier than usual. It didn't have the usual soul the 'Selphie laugh' had.

"Selphie," He turned serious; she knew for a fact Tidus was serious when he didn't call her by her nickname, "You don't look alright. You look really tired, and you're so thin now..."

_Yes!_ She mentally punched a fist into the air, "I'm fine."

"Uh huh," Tidus, like Sora, looked unconvinced but let it slide, "So what do you say, buddy? Wanna give it a go? It's a one time, one chance thing." Sora skimmed through the brochure again- it looked, indeed, 'epic', but dangerous at the same time. You even had to sign a waver.

No real damage, very real pain. He was doubting his safety even more with that statement.

"Leadenstrike, huh?" Cloud suddenly appeared; he seemed to have come from the kitchen. "I'm doing that today." In all honesty, Leadenstrike wasn't on Cloud's agenda. Aqua told him to do it just so Sora would tag along. It would be ideal for her 'drama' plan, and by the way things were going, the plan was working.

Sora's ears perked up, his lips forming a smirk. His bright sapphire eyes put off a darker hue. His decision was made.

"Cloud?" Kairi called from the staircase, "You're early." Nonetheless, she proceeded in greeting him with a hug. They've been dating for almost a week and hadn't kissed yet, not that Sora was complaning.

"What's the plan today?" She then questioned the puzzled look on his face.

He tilted his head at a certain angle, "Uh, I'm doing Leadenstrike today."

Kairi, being the 'not so girly girl' she was, knew exactly what it was, "Really? ! They have it here? Ooh, I wanna go! Can I?"

She felt a stiff hand on her shoulder. It wasn't Cloud.

"Don't go." Sora pleaded, eyes hazed with worry.

Kairi may have forgiven him, but it wasn't up to her friend to decide what she was going to do. It was her decision, "I'm going, Sora. Let me have some fun, please?" He bit his lip, deciding whether she should go or not. Even Cloud looked doubtful.

"You don't have a partner." Tidus announced.

Sora and Cloud rubbed the back of their heads. Normally they would offer to be Kairi's partner, but quite frankly they didn't want her to go and they were already paired with their best friends. Just as Kairi was about to admit defeat, Hayner came waltzing into the room with Roxas and Namine.

"Did you guys hear? The island is doing Leadenstrike today! I'm totally pumped for it! I just need a partner... Olette thought it was too dangerous so she's just going to watch. Any offers?"

Sora felt the urge to slap Hayner's face, "You have the worst timing ever."

Kairi jumped up, "I'll be your partner!" Hayner, obviously not minding that Kairi's safety was at risk, gave her a high five in agreement.

"Do you even have your license, Hayner? All drivers are required to have a license." Roxas didn't look convinced the gamer had one. He was wrong... sort of.

"I can forge it, smart one." Cloud glared at him. Hayner shivered, "Joking. I have one."

"Then it's settled," Tidus jumped off the couch, "Off to Leadenstrike we go! Come on Sora, we got a race to win!"

A dark aura surrounded Roxas, "You're going, Sora?" His twin brother nodded with a determined look on his face. He glanced at Kairi to give Roxas a hint.

"Be careful." Was all the sunkist blond said.

Namine's eyes began watering as she suddenly ran up to Sora and hugged him tightly, "Promise me you'll keep her safe... sh-she's the only one left, Sora... just... just please... I'm begging you..."

"You have my word." Sora reassured.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Selphie asked, her questioned directed towards the heir, "I mean, teenagers with weapons? On a circuit? Racing? Sounds dangerous. Someone could get badly hurt."

Cloud waved the brochure in her face, "There are medics waiting on the sidelines."

"You've never had any bad experiences with this in the past?" Selphie asked again.

Cloud shrugged, "It's the first year we're doing this."

This brought Selphie back to the unwavering decision for Kairi. All the danger seemed to be circulating around her, but no one could stop her from getting what she wanted. Not that she was spoiled, but just like Sora and Tidus, she was spunky and determined. They had to let her go. But Sora had a really bad feeling about it.

* * *

The eager teens arrived at the Leadenstrike building very late in the afternoon and finally got their turn in the evening. Who knew so many teenagers wanted to obliterate each other in a virtual race? Not even Cloud, the heir with so much power, could get through without getting mauled to death. After signing their wavers and putting on required armour (didn't want anyone going there unarmed, right?), they were let inside the large game grid.

When Cloud claimed the circuit wasn't much, he lied.

The circuit was unreal- which, technically, it was. They were standing on a large game grid that was modified into a virtual race circuit. It was filled with bright neon colours, spotlights, dark buildings, unecessary decorations here and there to dodge, sharp turns, tunnelways and elevation. Drool began to escape from the corner of Hayner's mouth. It looked so real. So marvelous.

The track was transparent with a series of colours to light up the path. On the sidelines, there were people cheering, and not virtual people, but real people from the island wooting for their favoured winning team. Suddenly Kairi felt nervous whereas Hayner felt like a movie star.

All twenty-four racers boarded the flying platform that led them toward the race track, more specifically, where their vehicles were. There were twelve; enough for the teams of two. Sora, paired with Tidus, immediately boarded a motorcycle much like Cloud's Fenrir. Hayner had chosen a car, though it was narrow but looked like a transformer. He thought a car would be best for Kairi's safety (it came to his concern when Sora began yelling in his face).

Cloud, paired with his best buddy Zack chose a velocycle. In a nutshell, it was the Fenrir but far more narrow, colourful and could hover in the air.

"Hey," A voice called out to Sora, "Can you handle this?"

Said brunet turned around to come face to face with his alliance partner. Lightning, much like the other girls in the race, was wearing her Guardian Corp uniform. Kairi was in one much similar to it, although her colour scheme was that of a SOLDIER. As for the males, they all wore SOLDIER uniforms similar to the ones Cloud wore during his days in training.

"Y-Yeah." Sora sputtered, then noticed that his platinum haired cousin wasn't with Light. Instead, she was with a gruffy blond who refused to remove his white trench coat. Somehow it reminded him of the guy he saw in Bodhum last year... was it possible that it was him?

He shook the thought away once Lightning threw a sword that resembled a giant key in his face, "Use that and stay out of trouble. If anything happens, let _me_ handle Cloud. Understand?"

"A keyblade?" Sora whipped the hunk of painted metal around as if he'd been wielding it for years, "It'll do."

Lightning shrugged, "It's a new model. I've never tried it before, but it seems to suit you. Be careful, all right?" Sora nodded and walked off to Tidus. Standing on the back of the cycle, he noticed a familiar racer in the front of the line. Gritting his teeth, he gathered up the courage to yell his name.

"Seifer!"

Said dirty blond in a beanie hat turned around and waved at Sora with a dirty smirk on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Sora growled, walking up to him while cracking his knuckles.

His mortal enemy merely shrugged, "Just here to finish up some business from two years ago."

From the sidelines, Kairi lost her breath. This wasn't going to be good. Her nervousness increased. There was no doubt that Seifer would break the rules.

"Kairi, are you all right?" Cloud looked genuinly scared for her. There was no hint of calmness in his pale blue eyes. The deal with Aqua didn't seem to matter at the moment. He looked to where Kairi was staring and got the hint.

"You want him kicked off?" He offered.

Kairi frantically shook her head, "No, he's going to get even angrier." She watched Sora leave with a pissed look on his face. She called out to him. He turned to her.

"I told you coming here was a bad idea." He said.

Kairi placed a hand on his shoulder pad, "Don't worry about me, okay Sora? Don't be reckless. I want you to be careful."

He laughed half-heartedly, "You've always thought of others before yourself, huh?"

"I could say the same for you."

A large hologram then appeared in front of all the racers. A young and rather attractive man with jet black hair framing his maturing face began speaking in a monotone voice, "All racers please be ready to commence in five minutes." Everyone obeyed his command and boarded their vehicles.

Before Sora boarded his vehicle, he made sure to flip a rather innapropriate finger in Seifer's direction. The hologram appeared again, revealing the same man from before. He explained the rules and regulations as well as health risks to each racer who, by the looks of it, weren't even listening.

Once they were ordered to start their engines, Hayner began screaming at the sound of his car, "YEAH BABY THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Olette laughed from the control room, watching the camera screens.

"The first team to successfully finish ten fair laps wins." Cid, the man on the screen then snapped his fingers indicating that the race had begun.

Cloud and Zack took the lead with Sora and Tidus not far behind them. They criss-crossed the track with Tidus driving, avoiding any obstacles that they could crash into. Virtual creatures began appearing atop the dark buildings, lunging toward the racers. Sora, the attacker, whipped his keyblade like a boomerang toward a group of small shadow creatures that headed straight at them. He checked on Kairi who seemed to be doing just fine with her flowery keyblade. He smirked; she always was tough.

Squall and Zell took the lead, leading the squad of racers into a tunnel. A large behemoth (a large beast like creature with sharp teeth and claws) suddenly appeared which clawed a team and forced them to forfeit. Lightning jumped off her velocycle and tumbled in the air, killing the beast with a single slash to the head.

"Damn," Zack watched in awe, "That was hot!" Cloud only rolled his eyes and slashed a flying bat creature with his buster sword.

By the fourth lap, everyone grew accustomed to the track with Squall and Zell still leading. Now, there were only six teams left. Sora was surprised to find that Seifer hadn't tried anything yet. He, Cloud and Kairi assumed he would have tried hitting them by the first lap, but it seems he just wanted to win. That theory was changed when Sora saw a flash of thunder beside him. He turned around only to find Seifer smirking at him. Checking his hand, Sora easily figured out that Seifer's weapon was a deadly manadrive glove.

"Perfect." Tidus gulped, watching from the rearview mirrors.

Sora gritted his teeth, "Drive faster Tidus. We have to lose him."

Tidus did so to which Seifer decided to aim for Kairi and Hayner instead. He cast a fire spell straight at their car. Sora acted immediately and jumped of his motorcycle, his feet landing on the side of a building. He leapt off and slashed the fire ball with his blade, afterwards landing on the roof of Hayner's car.

Seifer growled and readied his glove to cast another spell. Sora noticed this and ordered Hayner and Kairi to get out of the car. By the looks of it, the spell would be unescapable. Sora ordered them to get on Tidus' cycle as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, only Hayner was able to make it. Tidus was about to turn and help them but Sora demanded he didn't, "We'll be fine! Just get away from Seifer, got it?" Tidus nodded sadly, speeding ahead.

Sora immediately took Kairi in his arms and shielded her with his body. With all his strength, he jumped off the car with Kairi and hoped for the best.

In a split second, Sora and Kairi found themselves on Cloud's cycle, watching the car explode a few feet away.

"Thanks." Sora muttered (though he wanted to destroy him on the spot) and searched for Tidus and Hayner. They were far ahead of Seifer, following Sora's orders. The racers then entered a rock tunnel lit by the lights of the track.

"Team 4 is disqualified." The announcer, Cid Raines, informed through the speakers. The same shadow creatures with yellow eyes began seeping through the ground which Cloud, Kairi and Sora began taking care of. Seifer was furious at their survival and noticed that both his vehicle and glove were beginning to get disabled for their disqualification. He yelled out in frustration and began using up all the magic that he could before he was completely cut off and teleported back to the starting point.

Zack watched helplessly at the series of crushing blows were sent ahead of them. Luck definately wasn't on their side. Seifer's magic had successfully caused the roof and walls collapse on all sides. They couldn't drive back; their only choice was to drive forward and attempt to dodge all the falling rocks.

"At least we have four attackers," Zack laughed nervously, trying to lighten up the mood, "And two of them are soldiers!"

Sora checked the side mirrors and saw that Lightning and Snow weren't far behind. Sora, Kairi, Cloud and Lightning began slashing hopelessly at rocks surrounding them. A large one took out Zack's velocycle, causing the four to the ground.

"Damn," Sora cursed, "What do we do? We all can't fit on Light's vehicle!"

Cloud shoved him forward, "Run."

The four did so with Lightning and Snow behind them, absent mindedly destroying rocks in their path. Cloud and Zack, being the ones with better speed were able to make it out faster than Sora and Kairi.

"Lightning!" Sora called from below. He waved his hands, asking for her assistance. Snow drove down but was slowed down by a series of shadow creatures. Sora and Kairi continued to destroy falling rocks, but one was far too large for both of them to handle.

"Sora, RUN!" Zack yelled from the end of the tunnel, "You don't have time to get on!"

Cloud, noticing the very large rock that fell from the top darted forward to save the two but was held down by Zack.

"Let me go!" He yelled, "That kid doesn't deserve to get hurt anymore!" Zack was taken aback by his tone. Cloud hadn't been this serious since Tifa had a near-death experience. Surely, he cared about everyone inside but more so Sora. His eyes told him that he felt guilty for toying with Kairi's affections and crushing Sora's hopes of getting her back.

The least he could do was save him, but even if Zack released Cloud, it was too late. The rock had already fallen and the teens were at least ten meters away.

"Sora!" Lightning outstretched her hand to reach him but she knew it would be futile.

Snow did the same for Kairi, but they were too high and couldn't reach. Sora, not caring about his own safety saw the rock about to fall on Kairi and lunged himself forward to push her, getting his leg crushed by the rock (more like boulder) instead. He cried out in pain with everyone yelling out his name. The loudest, of course, was Kairi.

She shielded his body with her own, not minding the smaller rocks that fell on her. Lightning bit her lip from the velocycle. As Snow tried his best to get the shadow creatures off of him, she noticed that their velocycle wasn't going to hold much longer.

Biting her lip, she ordered Snow to drive them out of the tunnel. "But Light, what about-?"

"We can't do anything anymore," She said sadly, still slashing at rocks, "The only thing we can do is get them help."

Snow disagreed and jumped off the cycle to help Kairi, but Lightning grabbed him and threw him in the back seat, "Are you STUPID? We have to get out of here! The damage is already done!"

With that said, Lightning began to drive off toward Cloud and Zack with a guilty look on her face.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

x

Feeling lightheaded, Kairi awoke with a groan and extensive coughing. Luckily for her she could see her surroundings thanks to the lights on the track. Struggling to stand with rocks on top of her, she got on her knees and examined the situation. There were rocks all over the place, and Sora was nowhere in sight. She panicked and began digging, throwing various sized rocks here and there. She finally found him under the large rock he had protected her from, knocked out cold.

She gasped and used up all her remaining strength to push the boulder off. Finding no avail, she spotted Sora's keyblade a few feet away. She took it in her hands and slashed the boulder until it broke in half. Now being easier to push, Kairi was able to lift the weight of Sora's foot and hold him in her arms. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at his pale face.

She placed his head on her lap, gently caressing his face to get some of the dirt off. His eyes were shut tightly, but for someone who had just been expose to pain, he looked quite peaceful as he slept. _He's not dead is he?_ Kairi feared her thoughts, but thought it was highly impossible. Sora was stronger- he could take this.

She remained like that for awhile, watching him in silence with both an admirable and worried look on her face. She had never seen Sora so vulnerable before, but now that she had, she thought it was kind of... cute. She blushed and placed her hand on his neck, trying to feel a pulse. It was there (thank goodness), but it was very faint and slow. Removing her fingers from the side of his neck, she noticed his firm jaw line.

He really had matured in two years. No more baby fat- _all man_. On top of that, his developed muscles were more noticable in the first-class SOLDIER uniform he was wearing. Snapping out of her thoughts (she did have a boyfriend, after all), she focused on the situation at hand. They needed to get out of here.

She heard shuffling and voices coming from the other side of the rock pile (more like wall), and from what she could assume, someone just lit up a flare to give away their position.

"Kairi!" A deep voice yelled. S

he couldn't decide whether it was Zack, Cloud or Snow so she just responded with a simple, "YES?" She said it softly, careful not to wake Sora.

"Thank goodness you're awake!" Now that was definately Zack, "Are you two all right?"

"I AM, BUT SORA'S STILL OUT COLD!"

"Hang on then! Cloud just lit up a flare so help's on the way!"

Relieved that they would be rescued soon, her sights turned to the hand on her cheek. It was shaking, but it was still there. When she looked down, she was relieved to see Sora's bright reassuring blue eyes looking up at her although they were barely open. She held his hand in place, feeling warm inside.

"You're okay." He said wearily.

She choked out a sob, "I should be saying that."

His hand moved to her claret coloured hair; how it managed to stay perfect all the time was beyond him.

"Kairi," His voice was at least five octaves higher, the sure sign that he was afraid, "I love you. Truly, I do. More than anything." A tear rolled down her cheek, landing on the tip of his nose. "I know I'm just your friend a-and it's too early to be saying that, but... I'm scared..." She continued to cry, unable to speak.

"I'm sorry..." He suddenly said.

"Why are you sorry?" She laughed ironically.

"I... want to be strong for you," He responded, "I want you to see me as... m-more than the boy y-you knew two years ago. I know I was o-only almost sixteen back then, but I've tried my best to improve myself to become a man... a man worthy o-of your love." It was then Kairi remembered that it would be Sora's birthday in a few weeks. He would be turning eighteen- turning into an adult.

"Don't be sorry," She sobbed, "You are very strong, Sora. You deserve someone better than me. You're the lead singer of The Oathkeepers- you can have any other girl you want. I bet... I bet they're all better than me."

He sighed, "I don't want them. I want you. You... you make me feel... different..."

"Sora, I..." Her voice cracked, "You know I can't... I can't..."

"I know," His eyes watered, "I just wanted to let you know th-that I love you b-before I..." She could see that he was about to close his eyes again. Fearing that he would go into eternal sleep (although she knew that was an overreaction), she grabbed his face and forced him to look at her.

"Sora Hikari, don't you pass out on me! I... I-! I love you too!"

She was surprised at the sound of her own voice echoing through the walls. So powerful, so... _passionate_. His eyes snapped open at that.

"B-But like a best friend..." She murmured quietly.

Sora attempted a weak smirk and still looked quite handsome doing it, "I-If you don't want me falling asleep, find a way to make me stay awake."

"I'm _not_ kissing you."

"Heh, I-I wasn't even thinking of that." He laughed (though it looked like it hurt and he was straining himself) at Kairi's flushed face. "You l-look so... pretty."

She blushed even more in flattery, "Th-Thanks."

Sora began playing with Kairi's hair again, telling her a story, "You know... I went to Bodhum a year ago, a-and there were these gorgeous fireworks... they were so bright and I bet y-you could see them for miles... they, ow, reminded me of you... so... _radiant_ and... beautiful. They lit up th-the whole night sky, like you light up my soul e-everytime I see you..."

Noticing that Kairi was too busy listening to him to speak, he continued, "Tidus told me that they were wish granting fireworks, s-so I wished that... you wanted to be with me." Her heart ached at this. "But I knew," A tear fall from the side of his eye although they were closed, "Y-You hated me so much for lying... why... why would you want to be with s-someone whose hurt you so bad? N-Now that I think of it... it was a stupid wish. I-I was silly, wasn't I?"

Her throat burned, "Y-Yeah... silly."

Hearing the description of the fireworks, it reminded Kairi of when she and Sora had first kissed on the beach on Destiny Islands during a meteor shower. She could've sworn it was the best day of her life. But now, she felt nothing but pain. Sora claimed she hated him more than she ever did. Honestly, Sora was hurt more now than when she saw him kissing another girl. He tried to be strong, stronger than she had been trying to forget him. He tried so hard only to have her in another man's arms. Her heart ached more than ever now, throbbing for her ex-lover. She wanted to apologize and hug him with all her might, but he decided to speak up.

"Hey Kai..." He called out softly.

"Yes?" She answered, trying to hide her tears.

"I-I'm tired... c-can we stay like this for awhile? J-Just until help gets here... I'm just... I need to sleep. Don't leave me."

She nodded and, without thinking, leaned down to give him a kiss on the cheek, "Goodnight, Sora."

His heart raced quickly, smiling up at her while taking one of her hands in his, "Promise you'll be there wh-when I wake up?"

She gripped his hand tighter, a smile gracing upon her lips. "I promise."

**In the next chapter:**

_"You do crazy things when you're in love."_

_"Team Sora or team Cloud?"_

_"Forget substitution. We're collaberating with another band."_

_"Seaside Bodhum boys, we're undeniable! Six pack abs with nothing on top!"_

_"He's leaving Kingdom Hearts."_

* * *

**Oh my Maker I am so sorry for the late update! (But I hope this long-ish chapter made up for it? And sorry for grammar errors. My stupid 'D' button is sorta busted) Remember how I was in the USA with my cousins and had absoultely NO internet on my laptop? Well, I recently returned to Canada in hopes to finish this chapter yesterday but I decide to clean my room, thinking it would take at least an hour. It took me a day O.e So, anyway, back to the story.**

**Here's some SoKai fluff for you :) (and more action other than romance!) And this idea of Leadenstrike racing came from a Final Fantasy XIII scene, but I added a little twist to it. **

**So yeah, I left Maryland a few days ago. I swear my cousin and I were going to cry- we love each other so much! It seems like my summer vacation is... over. Lol, Roxas much? But really. School is just around the corner T.T But I promise you I will write more before then! No more late updates I swear! Now, I haven't done this in awhile, but I'm going to reply to your reviews :D Sorry if they're short. It's kind of 12:30 in the morning right now xP**

**Oh, and I'm thinking of writing a FFXIII fanfic and posting it on here. It's about Hope and Lightning getting handcuffed to each other- should I do it? :P And I'm a little curious so I have a question for all of you. How did you all find out about Kingdom Hearts? **

**SKgirl101: LOL well I've been informed that when men are in love, they do crazy things x)**

**xocherry: Funny you say that since Sora's the one who gets injured in this chapter :P And I KNOW! The cell phone thing was so stupid! Who steals it, activates the GPS and leaves themself logged in on facebook? What a criminal mastermind!**

**frozenflower716: OMG, I know what you mean by the whole Chapter 12 thing! I was at my cousin's house and we had to finish the game from chapter 9. When I got to chapter 12 I'm like "SCREW THIS I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE!" but you know, I did it anyway xD From there on, you might as well watch the ending on youtube because DAMN, chapter 13 before the ending was SO FREAKING BORING. At least you got my baby Otshirvani :D And did you pick up your grades from summer school? I got 91 :DDDDD and HEY, FYI Lovely Complex was cute when the girl was taller! At least Hope's not like me. We're the same height (down to the last centimeter xP) but at least he's a growing boy xD and by the way... things get intimate in that story. Nothing is too intense for me! ... except that one part in Saving Private Ryan. AUGGHHHHH. His guts were on the floor! skghruse sghsreksherkerge**

**TaylorrrStrife: Sorry I made you wait again D: And that's xoKyorii for you- I get inspired by the smallest things, and when that happens, I wanna make it a big thing :P **

**Stargazer-Aike: Even MORE SoKai fluff :) And I can totally relate to that converse thing. I've tripped too many times :P And did you actually try the shoelace thing? That's AWESOME! I personally do it too. And anticipating mojo? LOL.**

**TinaalovesMints: OMG you got robbed D: I'd ask for more info but that would be nosy so nvm :) And you live in Maryland? Aww, wish I knew who you were. I'd hunt you down just to say hi xD**

**JamilaxHearts: Thanks, that is so touching :3**

**Artism: Find out how to review? You just have :P**

**SaphireWaves: LMFAO I DO LOVE YOUR THINKING. THAT SHOULD TOTALLY HAPPEN XD And also, I do say Lightning. I've grown out of HopexVanille a little. She's just so freaking annoying! Especially in battle O.o The countless "AII AIIIIII!"'s just make me wanna jump in the game and strangle her. But of course, if I do jump in the game I'll make sure to do something to Hope first xD**

**NightFalcon26: Well, uh (rubs back of head sheepishly) was this chapter epic enough for your liking? And so, do you prefer LightningxHope as well? :D**

**Dreamstation369: I wonder that myself too. I guess Hope is young and hopelessly in love :P Lol, I just noticed that was a pun... xD A bad pun at that. And YES! HopeLightning for the win! They've grown on me more now :) Vanille should just... get out of the picture :D!**

**Sunset of Eternity: Yes, I actually do tie my shoes like that xD**

**Suzumiya Haruka: I am SO GLAD so much more people are voting for HopexLight! Why do you think Light's better? Personally I think it's because she's not annoying like Vanille lol. And Kairi's shoelace thing is pretty cool- I think I just got my friends into it right now :P**

**Craxuan: Well I'm not exactly sure, but is that really true? What is the exact limit of 'berserk'? :P**

**Swordbearer: About the grammar errors, TELL ME ABOUT IT. OMG. In the last chapter, OMFG. I typed it on my cousin's laptop, and since I'm not used to the keys (they're WAY more sensetive) I ended up messing up alot of words T.T And I feel honoured. I'm actually talking to a Korean person! I love Korean people (insert heart here) Sorry if that freaks you out a little xD And thank you, I appreciate you going through the trouble of reviewing on your phone. It really means alot :3**

**Tyjet Ansatsu: Did you change your username? It's so epicly awesome! I recognized it was you since you're the only one who calls me lil ninja xP**

**Hearts in The Twilight: I think it's official- LIGHTNING AND HOPE WINS :D Good grief, Vanille was getting incredibly and unbearably annoying. And I KNOW, those HopeVanille scenes were just too cute T.T Hope does get all the ladies :P Notice they all have one but Sazh doesn't? RACIST I TELL YOU.**

**ultravioletpapercutsx: Sorry to inform you about this, but LightningxHope won! I do like them better, but don't worry, since this story is focusing on the Kingdom Hearts people, you'll barely see the FF people. I'm gonna keep this love triange going an see what happens x)**

**ChuckleBunny: Oh don't worry, I'm not gonna shoot you xD I've made reference to Ordinary Freak before- I guess people forgot :P Waysian means half white, half asian. Sora and Roxas are waysian- half italian, half japanese. Cloud is... well I haven't decided yet xP**

**Artism: Huh, you have two reviews? :D And funny you say that. I was watching 'Big Time Rush' a few days after I wrote the chapter and the same thing happened xD I'm like LOL.**

**Jared Someone: I wrote that especially for you Jared x) I know you love me for that. But I swear, if I do meet you one day, I swear I will buy you maroon converse. And I still thank you for the facebook thing, it means so much to me! (insert tears here) and I was on your profile on FF the other day (creeper much? lol) and saw that I'm one of the people you won't forget. (insert even more tears) I love you too, Jared!**

**Infatuation-x: Uh, I feel like a noob for saying this but what are CGI graphics? xD And don't worry, I didn't report them. Though my mom wanted to :P You know how some moms get... and you live in Canada? That's great! Which part? You don't have to tell me the province, you can just tell me north, south etc :)**

**One Sky-One Dream-One Destiny: Sadly, LightningxHope won. Well, not really sad for them since I prefer them :P But don't fret- I'm probably gonna keep the love triange going for the whole story x3**

**moonlight-on-grass: WHOA. AXEL AND XION? WHOA WHOA NO NO NO! That's just... no xD Don't you worry about that. I am NOT doing that!**

**Well that's about it :) Thanks for all your amazing support, I love you all so very much, please don't forget to review and I'm sorry for any pesky grammar errors!**

**xoKyorii**


	13. Fabula Nova Oathkeepers

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (New!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Zexion Azria Stelona (Stage 2): **A previous member of 'The Oathkeepers', a current member of 'The Organization' and is the bookworm of Axel's household. Zexion is incredibly intelligent regardless of his dangerous and 'emo' persona. Age 18.

**OTHER:**

**AkuRoku: **Axel x Roxas

**RokuNami: **Roxas x Namine

**Elixir:** Very much like beer but has a sweeter taste and stronger side effects.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the movie/book Twilight or its characters and the song 'California Girls' by Katy Perry. I do own the replaced lyrics, though x)

* * *

**. Chapter XIII .**

_**. Fabula Nova Oathkeepers .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"He's leaving Kingdom Hearts."_

"Good morning, Sora."

"Ngh..." He woke from his slumber uneasily, feeling an excruciating pain on his right foot. He groaned even more, trying to adjust his eyes against the sunlight in his face. He opened his eyes (though squinting) and found a figure hovering over him, "A-An angel...?"

Said 'angel' slapped him awake, "Aww, that's cute Sora. Very flattering. Remember me, your twin brother?"

Sora jerked up and rubbed his eyes with an embarassed blush on his matured face, "Holy Mother of Google! Roxas, I- I thought you were-!"

He cut him off while pointing in another direction, "Her?"

Sora turned his head and found Kairi's body sprawled across two chairs, curled up in a ball while fast asleep. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, mostly because he was still in pain.

He wanted to hug her in appreciation of keeping her promise, but then he felt that pain on his right foot again, "Augh, what happened last night?" _That's what she said._

Roxas began pacing with his arms crossed, "As I've been told, a large rock fell on your foot and broke your right leg. Luckily our technology and medical services are amazing- they've reduced your 'broken leg' to a sprained ankle. You'll have to use crutches for awhile."

"Huh, go figure."

Turning his sights to the window that allowed doctors to see him, the injured brunet came to a scene that made him want to laugh and cry out of joy at the same time. Outside on the waiting chairs was his whole household bunched together on three seats, fighting for space while sleeping. The camera crew was there too and anyone could clearly see the blush on Ventus' face as Aqua lay her head on his broad shoulder. And he wasn't sure, but he swore he saw Hayner sleeping in a trash can. Even Riku was there, but Sora had no idea how the emo kid managed to sleep while standing in perfect balance.

"Were you guys here all night or something?" Sora asked.

Roxas looked unsure, "Well, yeah. We found out about you at midnight and we rushed over here."

Sora struggled to comb a hand through his messy hair, "_All_ of you?"

"Heh," Roxas mirrored his brother's actions, "You sure know how to bring people together."

Before Sora could respond, a loud tenor voice boomed across the hall, "HE'S AWAKE? MOVE!"

At this, Snow, Lightning and Hope came rushing into the room. Obviously it was Snow who did the yelling. Lightning's voice was feminine and stoic whereas Hope's was... undeveloped. The sleeping household members jumped up at the sudden noise, angrily waking from their slumber.

"Hey kiddo!" By the look on his face, Snow was the most relieved to see him. He outstretched his arms, ready for a bone-crushing man hug. Sora inwardly squeaked at this- he didn't feel like getting crushed (more than he already was, anyway). Luckily Lightning grabbed him by the collar and shoved him back, bringing Sora's attention to her instead.

Although her face was emotionless, her words weren't, "I'm sorry."

"So the soldier has a soft side, huh?" A playful Zack walked into the room, obviously ruining the moment. Sora waved but paid no mind to Zack.

He was more focused on what Lightning said, "You have nothing to be sorry for." Hope sighed at seeing Lightning's face full of regret. She blamed herself for everything.

"Lightning can't protect. It only destroys." She explained bitterly, "If I had been quicker I could've... I could've... I could've done something. I... made a mistake. I'm sorry." The look on Snow's face told him he was feeling the same.

"Stop blaming yourself for everything!" Hope half-cried, "You are not _Lightning_. You are Light. _Light_ is different from _Lightning_." Her heart warmed at this.

Sora nodded, looking her straight in the eyes. It was bright, happy sapphire blue against cold, frozen aqua, "It was my choice to save Kairi. It was my fault I got hurt. It was Seifer's fault the tunnel collapsed..." Slowing down the last part of the sentence, Sora looked like he just had an epiphany, "Speaking of which, what happened to Seifer?"

"I believe this is my area of expertise." Zack raised his hand as if he were a student, "But I'll explain after the formalities."

At this, everyone from the Hikari household (including Axel- he was family!) came rushing in, checking on Sora. Roxas watched their 'bizzare family' from the sidelines, re-thinking the 'bizzare' part. Surprisingly enough, he was shocked to see that Kairi was still fast asleep regardless of the bombarded questions and screaming.

"Sora," Namine hugged him gently, "Thank you. Thank you for keeping your promise."

"It's more like my obliged duty." He saluted, putting on his usual goofy smile.

After everyone expressed their thoughts and finished with their questions, Riku was the only one who hadn't spoken up. The room went silent and still when the two stared at each other intently. Sora was the first to speak, thanking Riku for his presence. Riku, on the contrary, had something else in mind. The Hikari household gasped at the emo-kid's gesture. He held out his sleeved hand for Sora to shake, to which the brunet quickly agreed to.

"You do crazy things when you're in love." Was all Riku said. Xion was unsure why, but she flinched at this.

"Tell me about it." Sora gave him a toothy grin. A yawn was heard from the side of the room, emitted from Kairi who had just woken up. She blinked twice and checked her surroundings before focusing her eyes on Sora, her heart melting at his awakening. Not minding everyone else, she charged at him and gave him a tight hug. He was shocked at first, then returned the gesture. _Sora Hikari, don't you pass out on me! I-I! I love you too!_

Axel placed his hands behind his head and whistled, "Well, I think its best we leave these two alone."

Everyone cleared their throats and nodded, trotting out the door.

"You can explain, right?" Zack asked Kairi. She nodded from her position. Axel was the last one out, and when he shut the transparent door, he began doing pelvic thrusts to give Sora a hint. Since Kairi was too occupied embracing him, Sora took this opportunity to flip the inappropriate finger at the red head who left with a laugh.

"So, uh..." Sora began awkwardly, "Thanks for keeping your promise, and... uh, what happened?"

Kairi released him, sitting on the edge of his bed. Her expression was unreadable, but from what Sora could assume, things weren't going to be good.

"Well," The claret-head twiddled her thumbs, "After help came, you were immediately taken here. Lightning and Snow assisted you while Cloud, Zack and I did... something else. You see, Cloud was so angry at Seifer for putting us in danger, but he was more angry for your sake. He said he didn't want you getting hurt anymore, so he took Lightning's velocycle and sped off to the starting point where Seifer was. Zack and I sped after him, but when we got there... he and Seifer were already in a fist fight, trying to be held down by security guards."

"Then?" Sora was more than intrigued. _Cloud... actually cares for me?_

"We were angry too, Sora. Not 'beat up Seifer' angry, but angry enough to kick him off the island." Sora's eyes widened, "_What? !_" Kairi raised a hand to refrain him from losing his mind, "We didn't, though. We spoke with Cloud's brother on the phone and he told us what we were doing was unfair. We wanted Seifer off the island not only for what he did, but for our own personal reasons. Security decided Seifer's rightful penalty is to be in jail for one week; here, on the island."

Sora's eyes saddened, "When he's released, he's going to _kill_ us."

Kairi placed a hand on his bandaged cheek, "Let's not talk about that now, okay? Thank you for saving me, Sora."

He sighed in delight at her soft touch, holding her hand in place with his own, "I love you, Kairi."

She grinned with a tint of pink on her cheeks, "I love you too, Sora. But like-"

He finished for her, "A best friend. I remember." Appreciating his understanding, she pulled him into a hug again. He held her close, not minding what they just discussed. He had just went from friend to _bes_t friend. _More progress!_

From the window, Cloud Strife stood with his arms crossed, a ghost of a smile playing on his bottom lip.

x

"Team Sora or team Cloud?"

"Tough decision, but... hey, isn't that her? Kairi Lovelock?"

"Whoa, she's so cute! No wonder Cloud chose her! They look perfect together!"

"Please, I'm on Team Sora! He's way more affectionate!"

"Team Sora for the win. Cloud needs to ditch her and find himself an older woman. I figured he'd go for someone like Tifa Lockhart."

Kairi scowled at the comment made by one of the four girls gossiping in the corner of the waiting room. They were huddled together while reading an attractive-looking girly teen magazine.

Cloud wasn't being attentive and placed a hand around her waist, kissing her forehead in the process, "Are you all right?"

She looked up at him; there was something different about him today. The way he looked at her just now... it was the way an older brother would look at his younger sister in concern. And when he kissed her head just now- it was almost like his lips were _forced_ to press against her head.

With Sora, she could sense everything came from his heart.

"Yeah, I'm fine," She replied simply, "What about you? You got into a fight with Seifer, didn't you? Did you get hit?"

He shook his head, keeping the stoic look on his face. She was starting to grow tired of it. Cloud always looked too serious. He wasn't all smiles and sunshine like Sora, and she _loved_ that bright aura that surrounded her ex. No one could ever shine like Sora. _No one._

"Let's get you home." Cloud suggested, "It's been a long night. I bet it wasn't comfy sleeping on chairs." Kairi nodded, but before they exited the hospital she grabbed the same magazine the girls were reading from the rack of other various magazines.

"Kairi?" Her boyfriend questioned, waiting by the automatic doors.

She flipped through pages without looking up at him, "Gimme a sec."

Finally she got to a certain page that compared two parings. Atop the page was a bolded question entitled "Team Sora or Team Cloud?"

On the page, two pictures were enlarged to fit two whole side by side sheets. On one page, it was the picture in Kairi's wallet. The one where she and Sora were on their first date, holding each other in Nautilus. Kairi was in mid-giggle with her eyes closed while Sora held her waist from behind and looked at her with loving eyes.

_How the freak did they get that?_ Kairi furrowed her brows and gripped the magazine tighter.

On the other page, it was a picture of Cloud and Kairi. It was when he had first confessed that he liked her, kissing her cheek as the japanese lanterns flew by in the background.

"Who the hell came up with this?" Kairi asked aloud to no one in particular. Checking the corners of the page, she noticed some small print on the second page. She squinted and could finally make out the letters of the producer. She growled in anger.

* * *

"SELPHIE!" Kairi growled as she entered her house. Cloud was already speeding off on his Fenrir outside, eager to get some rest at his own home. Plus he reckoned that if Sora heard the story about what he did yesterday, it would be a bit awkward being around him.

"Yes Kairi?" Selphie asked casually from the living room couch, sipping on iced tea. The look on her face was both sweet and devious- only Kairi could see that.

Selphie was reading the same magazine as well with Namine beside her, as was Axel from the adjacent couch. Sora, Roxas and some unknown emo boy were on the patio, discussing something that looked important. She did have to say the emo boy looked rather attractive with the 'Old English' look he was pulling off, but the darkness just ruined it.

Axel looked infuriated as he was reading one of the pages, his teeth ready to eat the magazine, "I _cannot_ believe this magazine. Get this," He cleared his throat, reading the content word for word, "Axel Montgomery Oryxine. Age 18. Birthday September 8th. Sex male. Orientation, _accused homosexual_? WHAT THE HELL? !" Hayner, who was playing his video game on another couch couldn't contain his laughter.

"How the hell am I an accused homosexual? I don't associate myself with guys!" The fiery red-head whined. Selphie flipped to the same page he was reading, the one that had classic information on each of the 'hot boy band members'.

She laughed, "It seems they believe you have feelings for Roxas." She flipped to another page, showing it to Axel and Namine.

"TEAM AKUROKU OR TEAM ROKUNAMI?" They yelled in unison.

"Oh yeah?" Kairi shoved the magazine in Selphie's face, "TEAM SORA OR TEAM CLOUD? ACCORDING TO THE NAME ON THE BOTTOM, MS. TILMITT, YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS."

Selphie felt the three teens closing in on her, so she waved her hands in surrender, "Okay, okay! I admit it! I came up with the Team Sora and Cloud thing! But I did _not_ come up with the AkuRokuNami thing! Whoever came up with that was messed up." At that, Hayner began laughing uncontrollably.

Axel hissed as he turned around, ready to pounce on the gamer, "It was you, huh? Come here you little spaz!"

"How could you do this, Selph?" Kairi pouted, "You stole that picture of me and Sora from my wallet?"

Selphie nodded with a disturbing grin, "Guilty as charged."

"Why?" Namine asked.

"Why _not_?" Selphie counteracted. At this, Roxas and Zexion decided to enter the room while supporting Sora with his crutches.

"I sense tension. What's going on?" Sora asked, a gleeful smile plastered across his face.

"Team Sora and team Cloud, that's what." Axel, who had given up on chasing the Hayner (who was nowhere to be found) handed the magazine to Sora who read it with interest.

"Oh, it's just like that Team Edward or team Jacob thing from Twilight!" Sora jumped (on one foot, obviously).

Selphie winked, "Kairi's always had a knack for stuff like that. Celebrity couples and such. Thought she'd enjoy the publicity. She's part of a celebrity love triangle now!"

Kairi snarled, waiting for Sora's reaction as he continued to read. She expected him to throw the book down and pierce the picture of her and Cloud with the end of his crutches, but surprisingly, he punched a fist into the air.

"I call dibs on Jacob!"

"He loses, Sora." Zexion informed, being the bookworm he was.

"No spoilers, man! Besides," Sora flexed his free arm though it was still sore, "He's the hot one unlike that pale faggot."

"Hey!" Roxas joked, "I'm on Team Edward!"

Axel shivered, "You better be on team RokuNami too."

A dumbfounded Roxas was shown the magazine, nearly losing it on the spot, "What? ! Axel... you and I? Seriously? ! Why can't these fangirls understand that I'm madly in love with Namine?"

His girlfriend giggled, "We should check the polls. AkuRoku might be winning."

Roxas picked her up from her sitting position and held her close, "Please, I don't care what they say. It's always going to be you." She leaned in for a kiss to which the girls squealed and the guys scoffed.

"Anyway, moving onto the subject at hand." Zexion coughed.

Axel jumped from the couch and dusted off his ripped jeans, "Did you figure something out?"

"The plan would have been better if Sora wasn't injured with crutches." Zexion stated.

Kairi quirked a brow, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Battle of The Bands," Roxas responded, "With Sora injured like that, we have no second guitarist or lead singer. I could do the singing, but without a second guitarist we're hopeless. Gosh Sora, and you fainted last week! Just when we needed to step it up... why'd you have to go and be reckless _now_? !"

Sora sweatdropped and felt the urge to whack his twin with his crutches, "Thanks for the support bro."

"Luckily I did figure something out." Zexion said with a muffled voice; he had an old habit of bringing his sleeve up to his face, "After reading some of the rules and regulations, I found out that if one band cannot perform due to the case of injury, sickness or death, they are allowed either one substitution for the missing member or collaberation."

"Sweet! I'll start hosting some auditions to replace Sora!" Roxas grabbed Axel by the collar before he could leave.

The blond twin put his thinking face on, "No, Axel, no. We need all the help we can get. Forget substitution, we're collaberating with another band."

"What band would agree to this? We barely know any of them! And I am _not_ working with that stuck up heir!" Axel snorted. Selphie paid no mind to the conversation and changed the channels of the television. She switched it to the 'Battle of The Bands' re-run. The current band that played was 'Fabula Nova Crystallis', rocking their middle-eastern performance.

Everyone watched as Snow, Hope, Vanille and Serah sang and danced while the rest provided instrumentals. In fairness, they were fun, excellent and-

"Perfect," Sora clicked his tongue with his teeth, "Let's give Hopie a call?" Roxas was already on it.

"You really think that freaky soldier Lightning will let the band do this?" Selphie asked in confusion.

Sora smirked, "Yeah. She owes me."

"Well, I'm off!" Hayner called from the kitchen. Axel growled; so he was hiding in the kitchen?

"Where are you going?" Kairi asked with wide eyes.

"Well _someone_ keeps stealing all the chips (which I don't get cause Olette stocked us with like. Twenty bags.) so I'm going to buy some at the market! Oi, pretty boy, I'm gonna use your car okay?" Roxas tossed him the keys, trusting the gamer enough with his baby.

"Oh, and pick up some tampons!" Selphie shouted, tossing Hayner some munny.

He caught it without turning around, "Yeah, whatever!"

After watching the door close, the guys doubled over in laughter. Even Zexion chuckled.

"Poor guy doesn't know what he's getting himself into!" Sora clutched his stomach in pain.

Aqua came in looking shocked, "Did I just see right? Did Hayner actually leave the house? !" Everyone nodded with laughter.

"What happened?" Ventus asked, Pence still filming from behind a bush.

"Hayner's out to buy some tampons." Selphie managed to say calmly.

"YOU MONSTER!" Ventus pointed at her accusingly.

Aqua pulled on his sleeve and ordered Pence to go with them, "Venny, get the car. We got some filming to do."

**Grocery Store**

"You know, buying tampons was already bad... but with you following and filming me? Can this day get any worse?" Hayner grumbled as he pulled his beanie hat over his eyes, walking down the aisle of 'girl stuff'. He hugged two precious bags of chips in his hands, now searching for what Selphie asked him to buy.

"There's so many choices... which one did Selphie want?" He asked, waving a pack in one hand. Hayner looked like he was holding a mouse, keeping his distance, "This is so embarassing." _Why didn't I think?_

"Grow up!" Aqua giggled from behind Pence, rolling the camera with much amusement.

"Get the pink one!" Ventus cheered, tossing the pack of doom to Hayner.

He whined, "Aqua, do me a favour and go to the cashier for me? I'll pay, but please... _please_! You're a girl, I'm a guy! Makes things less embarassing!"

"Nuh uh," She waved an intimidating finger in his face, "Selphie asked _you_ to buy them."

Hayner hid the tampon pack under his chip bags and slowly dragged himself out of the aisle, receving looks and giggles from a few teenagers here and there. "Sheesh, Selphie goes shopping like every freaking day... why couldn't she get these on her own?"

"Probably because she didn't want to risk buying tampons in front of a really cute cashier guy." Ventus responded, falling in step with the angered teen.

Hayner snorted, "Please, no 'cute person' would work in a place like this."

As if he jinxed it, Aqua covered her mouth with a laugh, "Remember when you asked if this day could get any worse?" The lavender-head pointed at the cashier register that read '6 items or less', the only available cashier register Hayner could go to considering his amount of items and munny.

"Oh _snap_." Ventus stifled his laughter. Hayner felt stiff as a statue as he watched the cashier girl finish with another customer, a bright 'Have a good day!' smile on her face. She was cute, she was polite, she was...

Olette.

x

"Chips!" Hope skipped to the teenager that just walked through the door. He had a dark aura surrounding him, an invisible 'Do Not Disturb' sign on his forehead. Hope paid no mind to this and reached for one of the bags only to have his wrist grabbed tightly by a very pissed Hayner.

His beanie hat covered half his face and he began speaking in a very terrorizing voice, "Listen albino kid, I just went through _hell _to get this food. You do as much as eat one _crumb _of these chips, I will personally rip of your testicles and-"

"Ahem."

Hayner's face immediately brightened as he handed the bag to Hope, apologizing to the now satisfied Sergeant Lightning.

"Hey, uh, what are you doing here?" Hayner asked, whipping the bag of tampons to the second floor in hopes that Selphie would get it some time. He just wanted that pink pack out of his face.

Sadly, it hit Riku in the head to which the emo-king opened the pack and threw the individual tampons like flying daggers toward Hayner.

"Whoa," A very drunk Snow came stumbling in from the kitchen, a bottle of Elixir in hand, "Is it just me -hic- or was it raining -hic- tampons?"

"Too much to drink, Snow?" Hope was on the verge of laughter, watching the big oaf lose his balance.

"Why do you have Elixir in your kitchen anyway? Lightning asked sternly, sounding like a strict mother.

Axel came prancing around with the same bottle in hand, pointing in a certain direction, "Look at the pretty unicorn!"

"I'm guessing Axel bought them." Hayner responded while watching the two drunk 'men' do a pub dance together.

"Good guess." The soldier began walking towards the board room of the beach house. She gestured Hayner to follow suite so he did so with Hope eating his heavenly chips behind him.

Inside the dim lit, modern board room was Sora, Zexion, Roxas, Vanille, Fang, Serah, Noctis and Stella. Hayner, Lightning and Hope took the remaining seats, three being empty due to the absence of Riku, Axel and Snow.

"So, what's going on?" Hayner broke the silence.

"Fabula Nova Crystallis has agreed to collaberate with The Oathkeepers this week." Zexion announced, "Therefore your performance must be stunning. If not, you're both kicked out of the competition."

Hayner seemed to be following up fine, tapping his chin while in thought, "What's the challenge this week?"

"The song we perform has to be delivered in the manner of the music video." Roxas crossed his arms in frustration, "Problem is, we can't think of a good song with a good music video to match. Plus putting it on stage will take _a lot_ of work... props, costumes..."

"Thriller?" Hayner suggested.

"Too classic," Sora responded, "If you want the votes, you gotta make'em laugh." Noctis seemed to despise that idea. He was a secluded person. In fact, he, (possibly Cloud) and Riku could create the 'emo empire'.

"Easier said than done." Lightning crossed a leg over the other.

"We can't come up with anything!" Hope yelled in frustration.

Suddenly the door burst open with Snow jumping up on the sleek table, waving his trench coat in the air. Singing to an off-tune version of Katy Perry's 'California Girls', Snow began his performance with his precious bottle of Elixir still in hand, "SEASIDE BODHUM BOYS, WE'RE UNDENIABLE! SIX PACK ABS WITH NOTHING ON TOP! WELL-TONED SKIN SO HOT WE'LL MELT YOUR POPSICLE! OHHHOHHHOHHH! OHOHOHOHHHHHH!"

Serah clapped at her boyfriend's talent whereas Lightning watched in disgust. Sora, much like everyone else (except Noctis) watched in amusement. A smirk came to Roxas' face as he discovered their new performance, rubbing his hands together while snickering evilly.

* * *

The fourth round of Battle of The Bands came quickly after many hard days of endless practicing and perfection. 'Fabula Nova Oathkeepers' had agreed on Katy Perry's 'California Girls' after a very drunk Snow (much to his embarrassment afterwards) gave them the idea. It was needless to say that Riku wasn't joining their performance. The music video involved a 'candy land' theme, girls with cupcake bras and short shorts, guys in either a sparkly tuxedo or a pair of bright swimming trunks (_without_ a shirt, fangirls) and band members wearing gummy bear suits.

That _totally_ screamed Riku.

Everyone was shocked that Noctis agreed, but he simply agreed to it since he would just be playing an instrument and would be disguised in a gummy bear suit. The same went for Stella and Lightning (_Lightning_ for crying out loud). Axel was the only one clad in a sparkly red tuxedo (it was clear he was Snoop Dogg) whereas Hope (surprisingly), Snow and Roxas were all shirtless wearing candy-patterned swim trunks. The girls, Serah, Fang and Vanille all wore shorts with semi-revealing sparkly bras. The crowd sure was going to be pleased.

Now the band was setting up at the back, throwing candy decorations here and there. The stage was upgraded to have two rotatable sides. While one band performed, the other could set up their props in the back. At that moment 'Advent Children' was performing, entertaining the crowd with their _Physical_ performance. The guys (including Cloud) were in workout spandex suits while Tifa wore... everyone was forced to say 'pretty' workout clothes. They were into the whole 'crowd-pleasing' idea as well. In fact, the group members backstage tried btheir hardest not to fall on the ground and laugh at Cloud's appearance.

As their performance neared, Fabula Nova Oathkeepers panicked while setting up all the props. Sora helped as much as he could; he no longer needed his crutches. Sora being Sora, his foot was healing miraculously quick. He still had to hop on one foot though. The pain was too much to bare.

"Augh, looks like Lady Gaga threw up in here." Axel snarled while waving around his shillelagh.

Their stage was the perfect beach-like candy land. The concept of the music video was like a game board; Hayner was able to design the floor to make it look like a game piece. All in all, everything was perfect and ready. There were giant candy canes all over the place along with unnecessary balls of cotton candy and beach balls. After the crowd cheered, the stage began revolving. Everyone got into place and started their performance, ready to face embarrassment.

Snow and Serah started first, and from there, everything went flawlessly. Their singing, their choreography, their lighting, their instrumentals and their tweaked lyrics (**). They sang about how each of their birthplaces were paradise and delivered it in a way that no one could ever imagine was possible. The crowd absolutely loved them.

As the ending neared, Axel ripped off his red tux sweater to reveal himself wearing a sparkly red bra under (courtesy of Larxene). Roxas tossed him two cans of whipped cream and, just like the music video, he fastened them onto the bra and began spraying the crowd with whipped cream. It wasn;t the prettiest sight to see, but it _was_ part of the music video and gave the crowd a good laugh. When the stage revolved again, the crowd was still screaming for an encore. It was obvious that Fabula Nova Oathkeepers was going to stay in the competition for a _long_ while.

x

"WOO! THAT WAS AWESOME!" Snow bumped his fists into the air that night, dancing his way into the Hikari household for a celebration.

"PIZZA'S ON SORA!" Roxas declared, waving around his sweater-vest while clinging onto his girlfriend.

"Hey!" His twin argued, "That's nice, ask the crippled kid." Kairi giggled and offered to buy it for him. When the pizza arrived, everyone ate in the living room while conversing with each other, sharing laughs and high-fives. Everyone from both households was there except Riku. Xion noticed.

"Has anyone seen Riku?" She asked. Everyone stopped talking and shook their heads. Roxas and Kairi were already heading upstairs to knock on his door. They received no response.

"Maybe he's sleeping?" Kairi asked.

Xion shook her head with worry, "It's too early for him to sleep." She kicked open the door and found the dark room clean, spotless and Riku-less. There was a note on his bed, nothing else.

"Where are his suitcases?" Roxas asked the teary Xion. She dropped the note on his bed and immediately ran down the stairs, running out the door. Roxas and Kairi looked at each other before reading the note themselves, now panicking like Xion.

"Get the car," Kairi ordered, "I'll tell everyone else." They dispersed with Kairi running into the living room.

"What happened?" Sora asked, seeing the worried look on her face. "Where's Riku?"

"He's leaving Kingdom Hearts."

**In the next chapter: **

_"Don't go."_

_"Face it, Riku! You're stuck with us, wild, crazy and all!"_

_"I'm sorry. It's like... I was wearing a blindfold. Too blinded to see, too blinded to trust what was in front of me..."_

_"You're in love. Face it, Axel."_

_"Cloud's dating Tifa Lockhart? !"_

_"Then I told you I loved you, and I kissed you, just like this..."_

* * *

**Filler chapter? Yeah-huh. So guys, Team Sora or Team Cloud? x)**

**Best not discuss how I got that 'California Girls' idea :P When you're like me, things like that randomly come to you. SO, intense ending huh? I was supposed to leave this chapter on a happy note, but something just happened with my family and I... well, I couldn't. Riku was supposed leave earlier but y'know, everyone loves Riku :P **

****Anyway, if you want to know what the tweaked lyrics were, here they are, made by myself and the help of some friends:**

**Axel: Greetings loved ones, I'll take you on a journey  
****Snow & Serah: I know a place, where the sand is really softer  
****Hope: Warm, wet and wild, there must be something in the water  
****Roxas: Sippin' paopu juice, laying underneath the palm trees  
Vanille & Fang: Boys break their necks, tryin to creep a little sneak peak (at us)**

**Snow: You could travel the worlds  
Serah: But nothing comes close to the seaside coast  
Axel: Won't you party with us?  
****All: We'll have you fallin in love! Oh OhhOhhh Ohh!**

**Snow: Seaside Bodhum boys we're undeniable! Six pack abs with nothing on top!  
Serah: Well-toned skin so hot we'll melt your popsicle!  
****All: Ohhh ohhh ohhhh! ohhh ohh ohhh!**

**Roxas: Destiny Island boys we're so darn kissable! Paopu juice we got it on lot! South coast represent, now put your hands up!  
All: Ohhh ohhh ohhh! ohhh ohhh ohhh!**

**Serah: Sex on the beach  
Roxas: We get sand between our toes  
Hope: Party  
Snow: Endlessly  
Fang: Blasting music, riding chocobos**

**Vanille: You could travel the worlds  
Fang & Vanille: But nothing comes close to so-called 'hell on earth'  
All: Once you party with us, you'll be falling in love! Ohhh ohhh ohhhh!**

**Hope: Palumpolum boys we're so adorable! Latest trends we got them on lot! Cute boys represent now put your hands up!  
All guys: Ohhh ohhhh ohhhh! ohhh ohhh ohhhh!  
Vanille: Gran Pulse Oerba girls we're unforgettable!  
****Fang: Fine, fresh, fierce is all that we are  
Vanille & Fang: Pulsian girls so hot we'll melt your popsicle!  
All girls: Ohhh ohhh ohhhh! ohhh ohhh ohh!**

**Axel: Tone tan fit and ready. Turn it up cuz it's getting heavy. Twi-Twi-Twilight Town, these are the chicks I love the most.  
I mean the ones I mean like she's the one. Kiss her, touch her, squeeze her  
All: (gasp)  
Axel: The girls are freaks they're lovin me, the men on the beach  
I'm okay, I won't play, I love my crown just like I love this town  
Struggle matches  
Twilight T  
Summer time is everything  
Come on boys, hanging out  
All that  
****All: (gasp)  
****Axel: Hanging out  
Bikinis, tankinis, martinis no weenies  
Just to get in betweeny  
Roxas my baby!  
Roxas: Yeah?  
Axel: You lookin here sweetie?  
Roxas: Uh huh!  
Axel: Glad we're down, representing Twilight Town**

**Axel & Roxas: Twilight Town boys we're so explodable! Sweet and sour like sea-salt ice cream! Sunset coast come on, PUT YOUR HANDS UP!  
All: ohhh ohhh ohhhhh! ohhh ohhh ohhh!**

**[Unison]  
Snow: Seaside Bodhum boys  
Hope: Palumpolum boys  
Fang: Gran Pulse Oerba girls  
Roxas: Destiny Island boys  
Axel: Twilight Town boys  
All: We're undeniable!  
[ Repeat all lines in unison ]  
****All: Ohhh ohhh ohhhh! ohhh ohh ohhh ohhh!**

**Snow & Serah: Seaside Bodhum...  
Roxas: Destiny Island...  
Axel: Twilight Town girls, man. I wish they could all be-  
Fang & Vanille: Gran Pulse Oerba girls... Hope: Palumpolum...  
Axel: I really wish you all could be Twilight Town girls.  
[All unison hometown names]  
End.**

**Yeah, no comment lol. **

**And I'm sorry to inform you that school is in 4 days for me T-T. But nonetheless I will find time to update! Promise! And stay tuned for the next chapter when they have dinner at the Strife residence x) **

**Now it's replying time! And thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I'm almost at 300! AND THIS IS ONLY THE 13TH CHAPTER! I LOVE ALL OF YOU! -VIRTUAL DESSERTS FOR EVERYONE-**

**ShadowSpooky: LOL no I wasn't listening to the 'The Who' (although they're a really good band). My friend was writing song titles on the music white board and he happened to write 'Teenage Wasteland' which interested me. So yeah, there's the birth of the title in a nutshell! And thanks for spending your time reading this, I really appreciate that :D**

**Tyjet Ansatsu: omg, you didn't call me lil ninja. That's new :P**

**frozenflower716: Really? At that description I think of Sebastian xD HE'S HOT MAN. But.. CIEL'S HOTTER! Why is it always the curly pigtail gurls that take my man? T-T WHY? Anyway Ima showed me what the second season would look like. Stupid blond gay kid! He's trying to take my Ciel away too! Notice how its always Ciel? Yeah that's right. He's hot :) And HAVE FUN. ONE PIECVE IS THE LONGEST ASS ANIME EVER. TAHT'S WHY I DONT BOTHER WATCHING IT xD And for all I care Vanille can die painfully with Hope laughing :)**

**ventus87: well I'm glad you chose to read my stories for boredom xD**

**SillySally: thanks :) And it seems everyone found out about Kingdom Hearts through the song :P I don't blame them, ITS AN EPIC SONG.**

**XxOoSolanaSkylarXxOo: Well lucky for you I'm actually working on the handcuffed story right now :P Halfway finished! And I'm underaged for drinking too xP That's why I don't do it, and I don't plan too. And Maryland was AMAZING. I'm going there again next summer. More fun times and ideas to come! And I KNOW. VANILLE. HIS MOM JUST DIED. JUMP AROUND AND BE ALL SUGAR-RUSHED WOULD YOU?**

**Sovereign Beta: I know, touching eh? (I'm Canadian. Lol.) I've seen some of my guy friends do that before. Aww :) And no, Tidus will always love Yuna :D Thanks :3**

**moonlight-on-grass: Xion Axel... Axel Xion... Xion Axel... does not compute that well :P A player with someone who searches for someone who deeply loves her? I don't think so lol.**

**an1995616: LOL happens all the time**

**NightFalcon26: THANK GOODNESS! WELCOME TO THE TEAM :D**

**xsmatthijsse: Aww thanks :) If I watched this at a movie theatre I wouldve done the same thing lol.**

**SaphireWaves: As I said before, I LOVE your ideas. I should totally beat Vanille with a stick and have Hope all to myself! -insert evil laugh here-**

**Artism: Limewire? Yeah I heard that's very... untrustworthy :P**

**Stargazer-Aika: Well something like that x) You'll see in later chapters. And yes, Seifer just got arrested xD Good for him eh? Too bad its only for a week. And its on the island O.O And around the whole globe? Heh I don't think so xD **

**DragoNik: Well I just rigged the later chapters to have more Cloud-lovableness in it :) So don't worry. By the end of the story there shouldn't be any Cloud hatred!**

**DreamStation369: Whoa I didn't think anyone knew who Neku was xD I figured since it's Square Enix, we have to put it in right? :)**

**xocherry: You know I don't get it. People hate school and want summer break, but when summer break comes they're bored as hell xD**

**SwordBearer: I love reviewers like you. You give me descriptive answers and things I can work on :) And yeah, I'm going back to all those spelling errors and am editing them as I reply :P **

**EternallySky: I love their new album too! I just wish they came up with a better name for 'Lucifer'. Why the anti-christ? Nonetheless the song is kickass xD And I just checked it out RIGHT NOW. In my opinion, the J Reyez english version was WAY better! I can barely understand what Taeyang is saying lol xD As for my fb, type in Kyranimay and you should find me :P**

**One-Sky One-Dream One-Destiny: As a writer that's all you can really hope for :D**

**2bblue101: Aww I love the KH manga! They look so much better than they do in the actual game xD **

**Hearts in The Twilight: But why did it have to be the black guy's wife? xD What if it was like.. SERAH? Less people would be complaining :P And notice how Sazh (besides Lightning... she has a blade) is the only one with a gun and he dies first? :P And I went through the same kh experience. I was 12 I think, and after the summer was finished, my room had 40 empty water bottles lined up on the side along with me playing KH with ym face pressed up against the screen xD**

**Infatuation-x: OH I didn't know that's what they were called xD I LOVE those! I call them 'fancy graphics' :P Some techie I am lol. What does CGI stand for? I live in east canada too... southeast, actually.**

**Suzumiya Haruka: LOL everytime I play FFXIII my guy friends start kissing the screen when they either see Lightning or Vanille. It's a little disturbing.. xD**

**Jared Someone: JARED! When shall we do that one shot, aye brother dearest? :)**

**TinaalovesMints: sure I'll read your story :) ! (runs off and reads)**

**That's all for today folks! Thanks for all the support, I love you all, sorry for any grammar errors (my 'D' button is still retarded) and don't forget to review!**

**xoKyorii**


	14. Familial Bonds

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (New!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Luna Marlene Strife (Stage 1):** Cloud's only sister and is completely obsessed with dolls. Age 4.

**Divium Vox Strife (Stage 1):** Cloud's father and is the Minister of Militia and Defense in Midgar. Age unwanted to be revealed.

**Stella Clara Strife (Stage 1):** Cloud's mother and successfully runs the Lockhart-Strife empire with Tifa Lockhart's mother. Age unwanted to be revealed.

**Solice Strife (Stage 1):** Cloud's older brother, the eldest of the Strife children and is the founder/ maker of Kingdom Hearts Resort. Age 23.

**Astrium Lucis Strife (Stage 1):** Cloud's younger brother and is the youngest of the Strife siblings. Age 1.

**_Did you know_ moment:** Each member of Cloud's family is named after something in the sky, originating from the ancient Pulsian language. Luna= moon, bright, Divum/ Vox= sky, power, Stella/ clarus= star, bright, Sol solis/ mico= sun, shine, Astrum/ lucis= constellation, light.

**'First Lieutenant' Sephiroth Schtauffen(Stage 1): **Cloud's 'evil' intimidating cousin. Cloud despises him for being 'bitchy' during their days in SOLDIER. Age 20.

**Kadaj, Yazoo, Lauz Schtauffen (Stage 1):** Triplets born after Sephiroth and are all hated by Cloud. All age 18.

**Jenova Schtauffen (Stage 1):** Cloud's aunt, Divium's sister and is the very loved mother of Kadaj, Yazoo, Lauz and Sephiroth. Age unknown.

**Nevaeh Lockhart (Stage 1):** Despite her first name being the backward version of 'heaven', Nevaeh is the best friend of Stella Clara and is quite devious and witty. Her daughter is Tifa Lockart and her husband is nowhere to be found after their divorce. Nonetheless, she is the successful leader of the Lockhart-Strife empire. Age 36.

**OTHER:**

**Lockhart-Strife Empire: **The arts empire led by Neveah Lockhart and Stella Clara Strife. Their company specializes in music (the famous Lockhart-Strife studios), fashion, drama, writing and visual arts.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the song 'Alejandro' by Lady Gaga, 'Simple and Clean' was composed by Utada Hikaru, 'Neutron Star Collision' is by MUSE and the clock idea was from Yamazaki's 'Whispers of the Heart'.

* * *

**. Chapter XIV .**

_**. Familial Bonds .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"Riku, we're a family. Everyone, no matter how much we may seem to hate each other, cares about everyone else."_

**Hikari household, one week ago**

"You hate her don't you?" Riku asked, running a and through his silky unique hair. He and Namine sat across each from other at the transparent dining room table, being the only two left who hadn't finished their dinner. He observed the ashen haired girl's expression change; it mirrored his own. Unsure and disappointed.

"I could never hate someone." She responded, her voice frail and weak. She and Riku were watching the scene before them on the full-length window. Roxas, Xion and Axel were playing around outside with water guns, squirting each other and giggling. They sighed at the same time, the glitching crystal chandelier now catching their attention.

"Xion's taking him from you." Riku said sternly as he gripped his chopsticks.

"No she's not," Namine said with a little more confidence, "Are you just... trying to deny her or something? I know Roxas loves me. I know you love Xion. But this so-called _hate_ between the both of you is too much to bare. Even for you, Riku. For someone whose experienced pain, you seem hurt now more than ever."

"For a secluded one you sure are observant."

_Changing the subject now are we?_ Namine smirked to herself, "Roxas is a socialite. I may not be as good as him when conversing but I did learn a few tricks to break the ice."

"Have fun breaking this hunk of ice." Something close to a teasing smile made its way to Riku's pale lips.

"I know I can't," She shrugged, "So far Xion is the only one who can. But I swear to you, we will break this facade of yours. Open up to us more, will you? You can trust us."

Watching Xion outside made Riku turn away looking like he had been abandoned and betrayed, "I can't trust anyone... no, not anymore."

"You trusted me didn't you? I promised to keep your abuse a secret, and I did."

Riku suddenly widened his eyes at her, "Aqua could be filming us right now. You shouldn't be saying that out loud."

The agoraphobic raised her hands in surrender, "Sorry."

"But I suppose you're right." With crossed arms, Riku stared at the ceiling intensely, "I can trust someone. I mean look at me, talking to you like this. But..." His voice cracked, "The more that trust grows, the more painful it is when its broken."

"Riku, you have to _trust_ that it won't break."

"It already has."

"Are we talking about trust here, or your heart?" Both teens froze.

"People as cold as me don't have hearts." Riku said simply, still frozen in place.

Namine laughed half-heartedly, "I was just like you, thinking that I didn't have a heart... I was a shell, frail and empty like a nobody. I was just someone who didn't know anyone (well, except Kairi and the asylum staff)... a body locked in a room. I didn't know if I was even real. I just feared everything." Then she sighed in delight, "Then Roxas."

"Tch," Riku scoffed, "This is cheesy and meaningless."

"Is it?" Namine deadpanned, "Roxas not only gave me his heart, but showed me that I had one. Doesn't Xion make you feel something?" She poked an area above her chest, "You can feel it beating when you hear her name."

The emo-king glared, "It's a part of the human body. It's supposed to beat. My heart simply functions but it doesn't feel. For me or for others. My heart is nothing but an organ to keep me alive. My body is a shell shielding pain."

"Pain is an emotion. And I see you get angry towards Sora. I'm guessing that's jealousy? Jealousy is an emotion."

"It's instinct. Sora's an idiot."

"HEY!" The brunet yelled from the living room.

"Go fuck yourself!" Riku yelled back.

Namine laughed at him, "There's more to this than meets the eye. Why do you hate Sora so much? _Why_ do you think he's an idiot?" At this point Riku saw that he couldn't lie. Namine's eyes were watching him like a hawk. She smirked in triumph, "I thought so. Roxas told me the story. Xion's still in love with Sora isn't she?"

_Yeah but she's starting to fall for your boyfriend,_ Riku didn't bother saying that out loud. He just nodded.

"Then do what Sora's doing. Win her back."

"I never had her-"

"Yes, you did!" Namine suddenly yelled. Before she knew it her palm was slammed against the table and she was standing. Even Riku looked terrified. She sighed and placed two fingers on her forehead, "You may not see it, but I'm a girl. I see the way she looks at you. She cares alot about you."

Gritting his teeth, he walked over to Namine and seized her by the shoulders. He roughly turned her petite figure around and pointed out the window, "Then tell me what you see, Namine. That look she has right now looking at _your_ boyfriend."

Namine watched and, indeed, it was the same look. She couldn't see Roxas' face since he was turned around, but she saw exactly what Riku saw. She had to admit, she was a little hurt.

"So let me ask you again," He said darkly, "Do. You. Hate. Her?"

"No." She responded, "I _trust_ Roxas and Xion, Riku. Roxas loves me. Xion loves you. I trust in fate that everything will work out."

He growled angrily and began walking away, "I don't know how you can be so optimistic."

Namine sighed, "Trust is powerful, Riku. It makes happiness. I trust in Roxas' happiness. He's happy with me. I'm sure you feel the same way about Xion. You just want her to be happy." _And trust me, her happiness is with you._

"I can never make her happy like he can."

"Then do something that will make her far happier. I know you can do it."

**Present Day**

**"And it's been done, Namine. I'll leave her. She'll be happy if I leave. There's nothing holding her back. She has no one to worry about now. Everything will be better if I just leave."**

"Move, move!" Pushing numerous housemates aside, Xion bolted out of Roxas' car and into the island airport. Sora had just checked his iPhone and the next plane for Twilight Town wasn't due for another twenty minutes. Problem was, the airport would close in approximately thirty seconds. Xion ran as fast as her slender legs would let her and ran past the closing automatic doors. One close and they were done for. Fortunately she made it, but she couldn't stop quick enough to keep the door open for anyone else.

Sora took this time to throw one of his 'emergency' crutches in between the closing doors, hitting the middle with perfect aim.

"Yeah boy!" He cheered, now rushing toward the door while limping, "I knew these had multi-purpose!" Xion thanked him with an impressed, loving expression before skipping steps on the escalator to the second floor.

"Damn that girl's fast! She's freaking jumping five steps!" Axel whined, breathing heavily by the door.

"You do crazy things when you're in love!" Namine giggled as she quoted Riku while jogging toward the escalator. Roxas grinned madly at his girlfriend's confidence. He knew she was close with Riku (not _that_ close), but close enough that she would help him.

Axel was shocked at how much stamina everyone had; they had sped through have of the airport and ran up and down countless staircases since the elevator would take, quote, 'way too fucking long'. And not only was it the Hikari household, but the Fabula Nova Crystallis gang too. They were almost considered family after the Battle of The Bands incident, plus Roxas thought they would be useful for the 'persuading'.

The airport wasn't just efficient and professional, either. It looked beyond technologic and neat. There was white almost all over the place (Namine enjoyed this) but there were colourful holograms and screens here and there along with colourful-looking shops and unnecessary aquariums. Why would Riku want to leave this place? Even the airport was kickass.

Axel decided that he couldn't take the pain any longer and decided to 'escalator spin' in which a living being of any sort lies down between the rails of upward and downward escalators and begins spinning. Hayner wanted to join, too, but he was stopped by their main priority. He felt like a soldier on a mission, just like in his video games. Maybe that's why his stamina was unusually high and was in an adrenaline rush.

"What did this Riku kid look like again?" Snow asked, practically breathless as they ran up another set of transparent escalators.

"Pretty tall, long silver hair. Like Hope's!" Roxas wheezed as he hauled his crippled brother up faster than the actual escalator could.

"Hair like mine?" Hope pointed at his tousled yet adorable looking hair for confirmation. When he received a nod he began using his 'silver hair telepathy' and used his senses to find a fellow platinum-head.

"Hurry!" Xion pleaded on the brink of tears, "We have ten minutes left!" Hope opened his bright emerald eyes and pointed to the right where a lean boy was about to enter the boarding gate with his suitcases.

Luckily there weren't many people in the airport. This made it easier for Xion to scream his name and run to him with tears streaming down her face. The boy turned around and it was indeed Riku, but his attire wasn't as dark and ripped as usual. He was actually wearing a plain white hoodie, unripped jeans and absolutely no accessories. No chains, no nothing. And to everyone's surprise, he wasn't wearing any guy-liner or manscara.

"Riku looks human." Selphie twitched, "What happened to his _Vincent Valentine_ mockery?" No one paid mind to Selphie's unneeded comment and watched as Xion glomped her best friend to the ground- well, almost. Riku kept them steady. He was taken aback by her sudden action but couldn't bring himself to return the gesture. She was bawling on his chest now, holding him tightly.

"Don't go." She pleaded, gripping the sides of his hoodie. His chest was stained with her tears- this put a hole through his heart.

_"Don't you feel something for Xion?"_ Namine's words echoed inside his head.

"Do you..." His voice cracked, standing still with saddened eyes, "Am I... important to you? Do you trust me?"

She punched his chest lightly, "Of course you idiot! I'm your _best friend_!"

He pulled away from her, "Then trust that what I'm about to do is best for you."

"You think _leaving_ me is _best_?" Xion grabbed his wrist, "I'm not the only one who cares about you, Riku!"

This is when Sora decided to step in, "She's right!" Watching Sora stand up for her made Xion's heart flutter. "Riku, we're a family. Everyone, no matter how much we may seem to hate each other, cares about everyone else. Don't think Xion's the only one devastated by this."

"Family means nothing." Riku retorted as he continued for the gate.

"I won't let you." Xion deadpanned, "You'd rather go back to _them_? Your _family_?"

Riku flinched, "I have nowhere else to go. I have no other choice." Roxas growled and took Riku's arm. This was the last resort.

Xion finished off the job and pulled down his sleeve, revealing the countless scars that hadn't completely healed yet. Everyone placed a hand over their mouth; they never imagined that the cause of Riku's bad attitude was _this_. Of all things, he had to suffer through _that_.

Riku pulled his arm back in anger, now running for the gate with great speed. Lightning easily caught up to him and subdued his dominant arm with her own. Everyone was shocked at her speed. Now they another reason for the name Lightning. She was_ fast as hell_.

"Tch." She looked at him coldly before shoving him back to his housemates.

"Family means nothing, I have no other choice," Sora mocked, "Listen to yourself. Look in front of you. Do you see this? All of us care about you, Riku! We won't hurt you! Let us inside for once! You've bottled everything up and it's done you no good. We're here for you, man. You just want to run away like that? Run away from the chance of gaining trust again?"

"Family means something." Kairi continued, "You have _us_. We're your family now. Your parents... they're... they may be your blood family, but... they won't care for you like we do. Don't run away when you still have a chance at a real family."

"Ohana means family." Aqua quoted her beginning speech. Everyone laughed half-heartedly, "And family means nobody gets left behind."

"Face it Riku," Hayner bumped his chest, "You're stuck with us! Wild, crazy and all."

"I don't deserve to be in such a welcoming environment." Riku said in mid-walk, "I don't belong here."

"Riku," Hope spoke up, "I know I don't know you that well, but uh... when I first got here, I'll admit I thought I didn't belong either. But then these guys, my housemates, my best friends... sorta helped me open up more and assured me that everything would be okay, and now look at us." The younger male spread his arms wide open, revealing his smiling and impressed household. Even Noctis was smiling. Lightning patted his shoulder then ruffled his hair with a laugh. "They helped me get stronger. They treat me like family. The same will happen to you, Riku. Trust in them. They trust in you. Wouldn't you rather be with a family that cares about you?"

Everyone nodded with their thumbs up.

_They ran all the way here to stop me... _He looked at the crowd of people from the corner of his eye. They looked at him with affection, their eyes sparked with worry. _Was I blind?_ He then looked at Xion who had tears streaming down her eyes. Those tears were for him. _Was I mistaken? Do they actually care about me?_

"I..." He really wasn't one for cheesy conversations, "I'm sorry. It's like... I was wearing a blindfold. Too blinded to see, too blinded to trust what was in front of me..." He went up to Xion and dropped his suitcases, "Will you... let me stay again? Give me another chance. I'll give trust a chance, too."

"I'm sorry too, Riku." His best friend hugged him again. This time, he returned the gesture.

She laughed ironically, "You're easily jealous, but... you don't have to worry about that. You're my best friend."

He smirked, "Good. And," He turned to everyone watching (apparently they were taking pictures with their cellphones), "One word about this to anyone and I seriously leave, got it?"

Both households cheered and welcomed Riku with warm smiles. It wasn't extremely visible, but a ghost of a smile was tugging on his lips. This was just the start of their bond. No matter how much they made each other angry or sad, they would just have to accept that and move onto the truth- they liked being together. They would stay together and they planned on keeping it that way. They were well on their way to unbreakable.

**Memory Middle School, 5 years ago**

"Oh my gosh, he's going to jump!"

"Xion, what are you doing? !" Her newly found friend, Lea, continuously called her name from behind. His voice was hazed with panic and concern. What she was doing could kill her- being the new kid AND only twelve years old did not go well with rushing towards death. The short red-head shook his head and kicked a nearby rock as a sign of defeat. Poor Xion did not listen. She had no idea what she was getting herself into.

"What's she doing?" Lea's friend, Isa asked.

"Making a huge mistake." Lea replied, watching his new friend rush to the top of downtown's infamous 'Memory's Skyscraper'. Standing on the edge was Riku Somneri, the weirdest and scariest kid in their grade. Even the teachers feared him. Lea had warned Xion about him, but that didn't stop her from running to the roof. Little did Xion know that Riku wasn't going to commit suicide. Eating lunch on the roof was his daily routine.

Lea decided that if Xion even came in contact with that Somneri kid, she could forget about him being her friend. Anyone that spoke to Riku automatically became contagious with his anti-social skills.

Xion was willing to pay this price.

A crowd had gathered by now, fascinated by the new girl's actions. Once she reached the top, she ran full speed towards the misled boy and outstretched her arms to wrap around him.

"Don't do this!" She pleaded, pulling him away from the open edge. He was only thirteen- was he willing to throw his life away that easily?

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? !" His tone demanded her to let go. She willingly did so.

Riku was shocked at this girl's appearance. He heard the teacher say something about a new girl but he didn't bother look in her direction. Boy, was he wrong to do that or what? This girl was... even he had to admit- she was cute, except the tears didn't suit her. She was crying, actually CRYING because of him. He had never seen someone with so much affection towards him before. This was pure. It didn't even look like that idiot Lea kid put her up to this. It was all her doing.

"S-Sorry, I just thought you were g-going to jump-"

He raised a hand to refrain her from speaking. She looked so fragile; he didn't want to break her more. The least he could do was let her off and maybe... thank her? No, NO. That was too much.

Her heart broke when he turned around and stood on the edge again. He scoffed at the crowd watching below. They spent a few moments in silence- Riku was surprised to find that the girl had not left yet. Was she waiting for something?

"Uh..." She stammered, "Sorry, I'll just-"

"It's fine." He said bluntly, tugging at the chains on his jeans. Was she not scared of him like the rest?

"You look mislead." She commented, daring to take a step forward, "Are you okay?"

"Why do you care? Go eat your lunch with that Lea kid. He'll abandon you if you stay here and talk to me." His voice was stern and more developed than the other boys in her class.

Xion frowned and crossed her arms, "I don't care. You seem different from the rest." She walked up to him and grabbed his sleeve. Without warning she pulled it up and gasped at the marks.

He pulled away immediately and slapped her face, "Stop touching me damnit!" She did not cry this time. Instead she had a look of... was that sympathy on her face?

"I knew they lied when they told me you were just mad at the world," She whispered, "There had to be a reason."

He growled, "Go away. Your presence irritates me." She did not leave his side.

Instead she extended her hand, "Let me help you. I'm Xion. Xion Simnel."

This is a joke right? Riku thought. This girl came in, supposedly saving him from death, violates his privacy, gets slapped in the face and she STILL wants to know him?

_Girl can't take a hint._ But leaving her hand there would just be rude. Shake it or not? Shaking it could lead him to all kinds of other things. She already knew about his secret- something about her glistening eyes told him she would keep it a secret. Should he take a chance and trust someone? If he didn't shake it, things would return to normal.

_Meh, I've got nothing to lose._ He tightly shook her hand.

Little did he know that by choosing to shake her hand, his view on the world would change forever.

**Present Day, Hikari household (the next day)**

"What's eating you?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing..." Gelling his hair back, Axel stood not fully contented in front of the full length mirror before him. Something about him was off, and it wasn't just his appearance. There was no bounce in his step and confusion swirled in his usually seductive green eyes. Roxas stood behind him in formal attire similar to his, but his dress shirt was black and his formal vest was aquamarine. Axel went with the devil-like wine red dress shirt, black everything else minus the white bandana around his neck. It was his substitution for the cliche tie.

"I'm your best friend." Roxas reminded, tugging on the rolled sleeves of his musical partner, "Don't expect me to buy that."

With a shrug Axel responded, "I'm just a little bugged by Larxene's Battle of The Bands performance last night, that's all. Didn't you notice? She sang _Alejandro_ by Gaga yesterday, but she changed it to _Axel Oryxine_. That means something, don't you think?" Clearing his throat, he readied himself for his tenor singing voice, "Don't call my name, don't call my name, Axel Oryxine. I'm not your babe, I'm not your babe... Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch just drink some elixir and hush. Don't call my name, don't call my name..."

Roxas looked impressed at his singing voice. He hadn't sung in awhile; Axel was more of an instrumental person. He only sang when he was really serious.

"I know it was supposed to be funny and entertaining," The red head half laughed, "And it was to everyone, but... to me, I could see it, something was wrong with her."

"Ever tried asking her?" Roxas now began adjusting his own cuffs.

"She won't even look at me." Axel grumbled, a spot on the hardwood floor now catching his attention.

"What happened between you two?" The sunkist musician crossed his arms and knew he had just caught his best friend straight in the gut.

"Someone's observant," Axel complimented but knew it was a fail attempt to change the subject, "N-Nothing much happened, just... we... I, uh... sorta..."

"NO." Taking a guess, Roxas nearly fainted, "Did you?" With an evident blush on his cheeks, Axel nodded.

"BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAVING YOURSELF UNTIL MARRIAGE!" Axel covered Roxas' mouth before the whole household began fussing about his little... incident. "I was!" Axel whispered harshly, "But that night, we just... I don't know. I know I'm flirtatious and get attracted to girls easily-"

"-cough- AkuRoku -cough-" Roxas interrupted.

"- but Larxene looked different that night, I swear."

"Wow you... really aren't kidding." Roxas took note of Axel's serious expression. It actually looked like he was- "In love." The blonde teased, "You are so in love. Face it, Axel. No other girl compares, huh?"

Just as Axel was about to consider it, Sora called them from the living room. It was time for them to take their leave and be on their way to the Strife mansion for dinner. The whole household was invited, and The Oathkeepers were to perform a song number for entertainment.

"We'll talk about this later." Axel turned the doorknob and left his best friend in silence.

**Strife Vacation Home (peak of the island)**

Unlike all the other houses on the island (sleak, modern and clean), the Strife Vacation Home (more like castle) had an old, grand look to it. No doubt it was expensive- maybe the castle had been here for hundreds of years? The vines growing along the brick walls answered that. The limo made its way past the gates and into the front lawn that had the cliche fountain in the center. Dumbapple trees were lined up on each side, ending at where the castle stood.

"Hello Hogwarts." Hayner's jaw dropped, awestruck at the appearance. He quickly removed his beanie hat and adjusted his tie, feeling underdressed. It was a shame that Olette couldn't see him in his time of formality.

Cloud stood at the doorway with ten unknown figures behind him, all dressed in white formal wear. _All these people look stunning_, Kairi thought as she was led out of the limo by Sora who bowe before her, _What am I compared to them?_

"You look fantastic. Don't worry about them." As if reading her mind, Sora winked.

Kairi wore a ruffly strapless white dress with an oversized black ribbon tied around her waist. The hem had a floral pattern running across and her shoes were simple black dolly shoes with a ribbon at the end. The dress would not have been her first choice- she would have chosen something more... well, Sora would have chosen something that met the Kairi standards. This dress was too plain.

Why did she wear it, you asked? Cloud had given it to her. The dress had been passed down his family for a few generations. Every new member of the family had to wear it. Kairi was now Cloud's girlfriend- practically part of the family.

"I'll take over from here." Cloud gave Sora a glare before taking Kairi's hand and kissing it. Sora gave him a dirty look before fixing the collar of his polo shirt. He wore his 'Wedding Dress' performance attire, minus the fedora.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Strife." He bowed before them in respect. The remaining household members (who were dressed more... _colourful _than the Strife family) lined up horizontally and did the same.

"Mother, father," Cloud said formally- Kairi could tell he was tensing up, "This is my new girlfriend." He nudged her forward, "Kairi." She watched as Cloud's young looking parents eyed her head to toe. Now she knew how Sora felt under the eyes of her own parents.

His mother with long, curly brown hair cocked her head to the side, "I thought Tifa...?"

"We broke up." He immediately answered. Tifa, who was at the end of the line frowned at her boyfriend. She gave Kairi a death glare, too- she was wearing the dress that was rightfully hers!

"Really? What a shame." His father, tall, lean, blond and muscular adjusted his coat, "I like this one, though. Cute. Not scary like that Claire girl."

"Dad." Cloud scolded, "Let's not bring up the past."

"I like her." A young girl with ashen hair pulled on Kairi's ribbon, "You're pretty."

Kairi lowered herself to the girl's level and patted her shoulder, "Thank you. You are very pretty, too. You look like a princess." Sora smiled.

"That's Luna, my younger sister." Cloud introuced, and took a baby boy from his mother, "And this little guy is my younger brother, Astrium."

The boy gurgled in joy when Kairi carried him, "He's adorable."

"Bed time." Tifa grabbed the infant from Kairi's arms and hauled him into the house. Kairi sensed her hatred and sighed.

A messy looking butler with red hair like Axel's emerged from the door and leaned against the doorframe with his back hunched, "Oi, it's almost time for dinner."

A man with silver hair (Cloud had warned Kairi about him. Sephiroth?- or so she thought) patted the butler's shoulder, "Very well. Let's give the newcomers a tour of the house beforehand, then?" Kairi caught Cloud giving Sephiroth an unreadable glare. She could feel the static lightning clashing as their eyes met.

"That would be appreciated." Roxas said formally, linking his arm with Namine's. Couples meant to match- Roxas and Namine were perfect proof. Roxas wore a turquoise button up blouse covered by a formal vest with black slacks whereas Namine wore a turquoise coloured dress that did well to compliment her eyes. Namine had to admit, she was a little scared to leave the beach house at first, but seeing this beautiful piece of art made her glad that she left.

Xion did not know who to be more jealous of- Roxas or Sora? Roxas matched perfectly with Namine. The same went for Sora and Kairi. Who did she match with? Riku was wearing black. She was wearing a navy blue blouse with a pencil skirt. Close enough.

When everyone entered the house, Selphie was the first to scream. It wasn't because of the antique furniture.

"Oh my google! You're Neveah Lockhart!" She shrieked, flailing her arms around. Hayner winced at the thought of her hitting an expensive vase. The woman wearing a fitting purple dress and a black corset resembled Tifa in so many ways. She looked a few years older, but not that old. She could pass as twenty five at youngest.

"I love your work!" Selphie forcefully took the woman's arm and began shaking it, "I saw your latest collection! You truly are amazing!"

Oddly the woman didn't seem to mind Selphie's obsessive panicking, "Thank you, um...?"

"Selphie!" She practically yelled. Meanwhile, as Selphie continued to discuss her fashion interests with Tifa's mother, Sephiroth gave the Hikari household a tour of the castle with his brothers following behind. The rest of the Strife family had dispersed, minus Cloud who stood by Kairi. The teens had entered a hall with stone walls, rich curtains and a red carpet running along the floor. In a straight line, there were mannequins dressed in medieval armour holding swords in the same position.

On one wall, Kairi saw a large portrait of the Strife family. Then beside it was a portrait of Cloud and Tifa. Tifa wore the exact same dress Kairi was wearing. It was understandable- Tifa was the ex-girlfriend. Nothing to worry about.

"What an exquisite clock." Namine placed a fragile hand upon the glossy wood of a grandfather clock.

"Artistic eye you've got there," Cloud complimented, "There's actually a story behind this clock."

Everyone was distracted by a sudden clang of metal. Behind them was Hayner and Sora sprawled across a mess of medieval armour. They had crashed into three of the mannequins. Kairi face palmed herself and drew her attention back to Cloud as the two teens on the ground laughed sheepishly.

"As I was saying," Cloud cleared his throat, "Do you see that sheep at the very top?" Everyone narrowed their eyes toward the sheep at the very top of the clock. Among the spinning moon and stars, a sheep sat silent in the night. "Do you see the man on the very bottom?" Again, the household bunched together in desperation to see properly. On the bottom of the clock was a man (he looked like a musketeer) looking up at the sheep.

"Is he waiting for someone?" Xion asked with interest, using Riku's shoulders to prop herself up. He, of course, attempted to prevent a blush from rising to his cheeks.

"Wait for it!" Kadaj yelled excitedly. The clock rung at exactly eight o'clock, and the sheep transformed into a beautiful girl.

"The sheep only changes to a girl at eight at night." Cloud explained, "That's the only time the man can see her."

"But he's just waiting there." Hayner said melancholically. Cloud sighed, "That's the point. He keeps on waiting every hour, no matter what."

Hearing this story, Kairi couldn't help but think of Sora and how he had waited for her all this time. She turned to look at him. He was watching the clock with a serious expression. His eyes drifted onto the man, then the woman, then Kairi. Their eyes locked for a moment, then drifted apart.

"Shall we move on?" Sephiroth asked, receiving nods. They turned towards another hall that looked identical to the last, but this one had more doors. As the crowd advanced, Kairi grabbed Sora and quietly dragged him into a random room.

"Sora," Her voice sounded serious, "Behave here, okay? Don't bump into things. Everything here looks so expensive. Be cautious, please."

"Sorry." He apologized flatly, "You sound like my mother."

Kairi froze. How long has it been since Sora last saw his mother? She was there with him through the divorce and all. She remembered how devastated he looked. He wore the same expression on his face from two years ago. _He's probably thinking about his mom_, "It's okay, Sora. Let's just... drop the subject."

Before he could nod, a cry was heard from the corner of the room. The ex-couple froze. Turning their heads, they saw baby Astrium in a crib, bawling his eyes out. He probably heard the two bickering and woke up.

"Oh no," Kairi began to panic, "What do we do? Sora, do something! You took care of that baby doll for a week, didn't you?" _Wow, Aqua actually made us do something useful._

Sora ran a hand through his messy hair and began searching the room for a toy. There were none- Astrium was already clutching his chocobo plushie.

Kairi was growing nervous as time went by. Cloud probably heard his brother crying by now. They had to stop this soon, but how? _Sora, hurry up and think of something!_

"Donna toki datte. Tada hitori de. Unmei wasurete. Ikite kita no ni..."

Kairi's heart calmed when Sora began to sing sweetly. Understanding what he was doing, she joined him. They both knew the song well- it was both a curse and a blessing. It was the song they met and broke up to.

_"Totsuzen no hikari no naka me ga sameru. Mayonaka ni..."_

Astrium's wild cries had reduced to barely audible breaths; he was clearly sleeping peacefully now. Kairi watched Sora as he approached the child with an admirable look on his face. He caressed the child's face and smiled. Kairi's heart fluttered at the scene. Sora was unlike so many guys. She could never picture Hayner or Riku _ever_ doing what Sora just did. He was going to be one great dad some day. She unknowingly blushed at the thought.

"You still sing like an angel." Sora whispered, opening the door quietly for the both of them. Kairi could tell something was off about him now. His expression saddened and she could see his eyes narrow when he looked at her dress.

"Sora, please-"

"There you are!" A childish voice cheered from the end of the hall. It was Luna. Sora immediately put a fake smile on and waved. Kairi could tell this child already liked him. Then again, almost everyone liked him. He had the irresistible Sora charm.

"It's dinner time!" She announced playfully, holding a baby doll in her arms. Sora and Kairi nodded before following the little girl into the dining room. As they reached the end of the hall, Luna suddenly stopped.

"Kairi," For a three-year-old her annunciation was fantastic, "You're Cloud's girlfriend right? You love each other like mommy and daddy right?"

Kairi stood still with an unsure look on her face. Of course she had to say yes, but then again she never considered herself to be in love with Cloud. It was more like... infatuation? He had never told her he loved her. She never told him she loved him. The only boyfriend she had admitted her love to was Sora- the same Sora that stood with a dark aura beside her. She didn't know how to answer this question. Kairi was intelligent- good grades, good study habits... but this was different. Luckily Luna didn't force her to answer.

"It's okay Kairi," She cooed, "I think you and this boy," She pointed at Sora, "Would make a better mommy and daddy than you and Cloud."

x

"Dinner is served."

In the elaborate dining room filled with stone walls, stone floors, red carpets, red curtains and fireplaces on either side, waiters began to place food on the wooden table that stretched as far as eight meters. Dinner did not go silent and awkward as everyone expected. Cloud's parents were a little scary and strict sometimes (especially when they bragged about Solice's achievements whilst giving Cloud a dirty look), but they knew how to make good conversation. Everyone chitchatted amongst themselves, minus Kadaj who on the phone with his mother, or in other words, Cloud's Aunt Jenova.

"You'll have to excuse Kadaj," Cloud mumbled through the napkin he was wiping his mouth with, "He's in love with his mother." Kadaj gave his cousin a shocked look whereas Kadaj's brothers begged him not to cry.

_Overly sensitive much?_ Kairi thought.

"So Cloud," Solice grinned, "How'd you and Kairi get together?" The whole table stopped moving and listened.

"Oh, uh, well," Cloud placed the napkin down, "I confessed to her in Midgar... you know, when we went there for vacation four years ago?" Kairi's heart shattered. They had been dating for three weeks. Definitely not four years.

"But Kairi has only been your girlfriend for how long? That couldn't be how..." Solice shut his mouth when Tifa rose from the table. "That's how he confessed to _me_."

Then she left the table. Neveah watched her daughter leave in anger and gave Cloud a wishful look.

He sighed, "Excuse me, please. And Kairi," He kissed her hand, "I'm terribly sorry." With all the strength she could muster, she whimpered a simple 'Okay' and let him leave.

The table went silent in shock. Even Riku's mouth was agape.

"Excuse me." Sora stood from his seat and grabbed Kairi's wrist before heading out into the hallway.

Axel and Roxas gave each other a look and nodded. "Excuse us."

The best friends stood up and walked the opposite direction of Sora and Kairi. Their objective was to spy on Cloud. There was definitely something going on.

* * *

"This place is freaking huge! How are we going to find them?" Axel was about to slam his fists onto the wall but stopped in fear that he might break something. Roxas paid no mind to his whining and ran down various hallways until he came across a door that led to the stairwell. Pressing his ear onto the mahogany door, he listened carefully. On the other side, it was no mistake. There were people kissing. Roxas motioned Axel to join him, the red-haired teen hovering over the sunkist blond.

"That two timing bitch!" Axel growled. Roxas shook his head, "Let's not jump to conclusions." Opening the door slowly, Roxas peered into the stairwell and found Cloud pressing Tifa up against a wall. Cloud's white dress shirt was fully unbuttoned whilst Tifa's black dress hung loosely around her shoulders. Axel covered Roxas' mouth knowing he was going to make a scene.

"I love _you_, Tifa. Remember that. You're the only one. The _only one_." Cloud moved down to kissing her neck, "Forgive me."

She pouted, "End the deal, please. I can't take it anymore. She's wearing _my_ dress. Stop pretending you love her!" It was Roxas' turn to cover Axel's mouth.

"You've been a strong girlfriend," Another kiss, "I know how hard this is for you... I'm sorry. My heart only belongs to you."

Axel slowly shut the door and gasped when they were out of earshot. "Cloud's dating Tifa Lockhart? !"

x

Sora helplessly ran around the castle, holding Kairi as if they were trying to escape from a deadly island. She wasn't crying, but she might as well be with the tears welling up in her eyes. Opening two random glass doors that seemed promising, Sora led her into what seemed like the ballroom. Pillars lined up in a curved line on either side, the floor was perfectly shined and glowed a bright gold, a large chandelier hung at the very centre and the ceiling resembled heaven with bright blue skies and angels with harps.

Spinning her around, he allowed Kairi to cry onto his chest. He stroked her hair and rubbed her back, comforting her as best as he could, "Kairi, it's okay. It was a stupid mistake."

She punched her fist onto his stone-like chest, "H-He remembered Tifa! He st-still loves _her_, Sora! Not _me_! He doesn't remember how he... how he..."

"Shh," He hushed, "Just take it easy. Don't worry about it. Cloud can be... stupid sometimes, but he's your boyfriend." Kairi gripped onto his collar and looked up at his promising blue eyes. "Any guy," He whispered, "Would be crazy if they couldn't remember how they got together with you."

"Do y-you... do _you_ remember?"

He laughed half-heartedly, "Replays in my head every day." She nuzzled her head onto his neck and listened. "We were fifteen, well, I was almost sixteen then. It was... what, midnight? We secretly rowed to the small islet and sat on that curved tree, watching a meteor shower from afar. It was on another island, I think. The sky was so colourful and beautiful, but I thought to myself, 'Nothing could look more beautiful than Kairi' and whew, I was right. You wore this white blouse and a purple skort, then you took it off (I'll admit that freaked me out a little) because you wanted to go for a swim. So you ran towards the shore in your pink tankini, and I joined you. There was a large wave that knocked us both over, leaving me to hover over you on the shore... then I..." His voice hitched; Kairi lifted her head to look at him.

"Then I told you I loved you," He closed his eyes, "And I kissed you..." Inching his face closer to hers, he whispered, "Just like this."

Kairi felt lost in the moment. She felt bad, for one, but she hadn't felt this good in so long. She was going to kiss Sora. She couldn't say she didn't want to, but she was dating Cloud! She was such a... such a... such a bitch! Cloud would never do this to her, would he?

Their lips got closer and closer, but before they even touched, the doors suddenly opened, revealing the entire Strife family and the Hikari household bunched together. Sora immediately pulled away, looking in the other direction. Kairi could see that Selphie, Roxas and Namine were giggling whereas Xion didn't look so amused.

"Perfect," Solice clapped, "Sora has already found the ballroom."

"Are the Oathkeepers ready to perform?" Mr. Strife asked. It was then Sora noticed the instruments set up on a podium. He nervously nodded before walking up to the mic, murmuring 'testing, testing' before he gestured the rest of the band to get on the stage.

"Ooh!" Mrs. Strife clasped her hands together in delight, "Cloud, you remember the tradition, right?"

"Mother." He whined, then was given a scolding look. He shivered and bowed before Kairi. Luckily Tifa wasn't in sight. She was cleaning up in the kitchen. "May I have this dance?" He asked, taking her hand. Kairi forcefully took his hand and looked at Sora. His hurt eyes gazed back at hers.

"It's okay." He mouthed, spinning the mic on his right hand.

"You're all welcome to dance as well." Mrs. Strife informed the household. The girls (plus Hayner- he didn't want to be rude) shrugged and made their way to the dance floor. Fans spying on them from outside were also ready to dance.

Solice and Luna went as well with Luna standing on Solice's feet for support. Solice very much resembled Cloud. Their hair matched, only he inherited their mother's brown hair.

Sora cleared his throat- Axel began to count down by clanging his drumsticks together. Cloud brought his hands up with Kairi, taking a step forward. The Hikari household simply swayed as the Strife parents watched the performance intently.

"I was searching, you were on a mission, then our hearts combined like a neutron star collision..."

Roxas' piano playing grew more intense and Sora fingers shook anxiously against the guitar as his voice rung out on the speakers, "I have nothing left to lose, you took your time to choose, and we told each other, with no trace of fear that..." At this, Sora looked at Kairi more intensely than ever. Riku, Roxas, Axel and Sora all played their instruments at the same time at a rather high volume with Sora singing more passionately than ever.

_Our love would be forever._  
_And if we die, we die together._  
_And lie, I said never._  
_Because our love, would be forever._

As the song went on, the Hikari household was no longer swaying. They were jumping up and down like wild fangirls (as were the actuals fans outside). Cloud and Kairi still danced at the center, their pace quickening. Every now and then Kairi would exchange glances between Cloud or Sora. With her boyfriend spinning her around like that, it was hard to think straight.

When Roxas played the last few notes on the piano, everyone in the ballroom clapped in amusement. Sora hummed a few more notes before calming down, keeping a watchful eye on Cloud. What he saw, he never saw coming. Cloud had pulled Kairi into a kiss, and it wasn't on the cheek this time. For once, after three weeks, he had decided to kiss her straight on the lips. At this, Sora felt sick and stormed out of the ballroom with Roxas running after him.

Kairi saw this from the corner of her eye and pulled away, feeling woozy. That kiss didn't feel right. She had dreamt of it, but... there was no magic. Sora hadn't even kissed her earlier but even then there was still magic. Something about Cloud wasn't right. But what?

Axel balled his fists as he stared at Cloud. Something told Kairi that Axel knew what was going on, and she was going to find out the hard way.

* * *

Namine, Xion and Selphie wandered the halls a few minutes after the performance, searching for Roxas and Sora. Instead they heard yelling coming from the kitchen. They tiptoed down the hall and hid behind a plant, watching carefully. In the dining room, Cloud and his parents stood face to face.

"How dare you, Cloud!" His mother's kind facade was thrown out the window, "I did not raise you like this! Why can't you be more like your brother? !"

"You're playing with an innocent girl's affections!" His father continued, "You're hurting Tifa as well, can't you see that? In fact, you're hurting alot of people. That ex-boyfriend of Kairi's, especially. Have you no shame? Your mother is right. You should be more like Solice. Look how successful he's gotten. What you're doing is not Strife-like. It's a disgrace to our family."

"I'm following my dreams, father!" Cloud yelled back in negotiation, "You wanted me to be a SOLDIER, just like you, and I am! I'm following what you want me to be, but I can't do it! Let Solice be your model son! I can't live in his shadow anymore! Let me be what I want to be!"

Thinking they'd heard enough, the three girls looked at each other with nervous expressions. Seemed like Cloud had his share of problems, too.

x

"He's out there." Kairi thanked the butler for giving her directions and walked out into the garden.

It somewhat resembled the ballroom, minus the ceiling and chandelier. Instead, the pillars had rose vines crawling around it, the perfectly cut grass was covered by stone flooring and a large fountain sat in the middle where Sora and Roxas were discussing something while sitting on the edge. Roxas was the first to look up, smiling at Kairi. He gestured her to come over, and she did. Roxas fled to the castle, leaving the ex-couple alone. Kairi joined him on the edge and placed a hand on his back, expecting him to smack it away and tell her to go away. He didn't.

Instead, he slowly caressed her cheek and kissed her. Square on the lips.

**In the next chapter:**

_"Why did you have to be on the island, Sora? ! WHY? WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? ! I hate you!"_

_"HE'S CHEATING ON YOU!"_

_"No offense hun, but wake up please. It's Sora."_

_"You're a good guy. You really do belong with Kairi."_

_"Do you think that when someone is in love with a certain person, they should tell that person about their feelings even though they're in love with someone else?"_

* * *

**I hope the length of the chapter made up for the excruciatingly late update :) Seriously, that was 9000 words right there. DAMN. Anyway, there are many reasons (actually there's only two :P) as to why I updated late. One= school. Bleh. Two= I have English class and was learning about how to structure a story and it made me feel like I had to keep changing the chapter to make it better. I hope all the changes were worth it though? :) Oh, third reason! I'm too busy reading this book called 'Hunger Games' :D**

**So, many stories yet to be told. I had a fairly awkward day on Thursday. Maybe because it was picture day? No. I was sick? No. I met a cute guy? Ding! So I saw this fairly attractive guy at school and thought he was a student. I was kinda wondering why he wasn't wearing the uniform but let it slide. But seriously, he looked like someone that could be in an asian boy band. Anyway, as we passed each other in the hallway (in my mind it went in slow motion since we were the only two in the hall :P), we smiled and parted ways.**

**I was kinda shocked and thought about him for awhile until my friend came up to me and told me that he was my science teacher O.O WTF.**

**Talk about weird. You know what else is weird? When I was in Maryland, I saw a place called Nautilus. As in, the place in FFXIII. You could say I kinda freaked out with my cousins :P And so when I left Maryland, I thought I wasn't going to see my cousin again until one year. Turns out three weeks later she comes and visits me xD So we went to this asian mall and I bought a bunch of new asian clothes :D Seriously, I never thought I would buy my clothes from there. Why? **

**I thought they were expensive as hell and you had to be skinny as a freaking STICK to wear them. Turns out everything was 50% off and the clothes fit me, so... yeah :P BUT, there was this hoodie I wanted that cost 69.99. NO WAY am I gonna buy that, but it was so cute! So I ask the lady for a discount and she gives it to me for 17.00 LOLOLOL. OHMYGSH. I LOVE THAT MALL.**

**Well, I gotta get studying. But first, I have to reply to your wonderful reviews quickly !**

**Oh, and did anyone else get an inbox letter from this Fredrik Trallis guy? AND DID ANYONE HEAR ABOUT JUSTIN BIEBER? LOLOLOLOLOL SORRY IF YOU LIKE HIM BUT SOMEONE THROWING A WATER BOTTLE AT HIS HEAD DURING A CONCERT JUST MADE ME LAUGH SO FREAKING HARD XD**

**frozenflower716: Did we have English homework? xD And Ima told me Kuroshitsuji was over!**

**EternallySky: Oh are you Joanna love? Yeah I got your friend request :P Kyranimay isn't a very popular name x)**

**Tyjet Ansatsu: Lol I almost didn't recognize you! **

**Sozic: The Xion x Roxas x Namine thing should be coming up in about five chapters or less :P And thanks for all your wonderful reviews! They're very much appreciated :)**

**TaylorrrStrife: LOL I KNOW I JUST NOTICED THAT. I usually don't read Ordinary Freak, but I just happened to stumble across the hospital chapter and I'm like "O-O" and I can't get BBS :( I don't got a PSP. But my brother does... -steals- lol. I watched it on kh13, AND OMFG SORA'S VOICE IS SO FRKIN ADORABLE. And I swear Riku's on steroids. No six year old has arms like that XD**

**XShiori-chanX: I'm on Team Jasper -insert jeart here- but I actually don't even like Twilight xD And yes, that one line just turned about five people gay ;D**

**Team sokai: Lol don't worry everyone got that song stuck in their head xD**

**Infatuation-x: I live in ON too O.e -hunts you down- lol**

**TinaalovesMints: lol it was short but I still appreciate it :D**

**ultravioletpapercutsx: LOL I swear so many people are gonna start singing that version of Cali girls xD I've spread new lyrics! WOO! And I know you started school. I was in Maryland. I left before it started :P**

**Dreamstation369: I KNOW :3 I was going to extend the Hope x Lightning thing until I remembered that THIS IS A KH FANFIC :P**

**DragoNik: that's nice to hear :) And I hope your hatred on Cloud lessens after that one intense scene. Makes you wanna feel kinda bad for him... NOT xP And I will write about that tampon encounter. Maybe. x3 And aww thanks ! That was touching :)**

**Craxuan: LOL**

**UnVeRsEd: LOL YOU ACTUALLY SANG IT? You're awesome. You. Are. Awesome. Even I've never tried singing it xD**

**Sunset of Eternity: Homework? Tell me about it. It's a pain :(**

**Suzumiya Haruka: I knew that line would freak everybody out x)**

**moonlight-on-grass: I agree that school is evil! Why did my science teacher have to be cute? I'm gonna fail his class! T-T**

**Cynthya loves Sora: I'M ON TEAM JACOB TOO :D Best line in the movie "After all, I am hotter than you" xD**

**Jared Someone: So you have my bday present ready huh? Jared hun, my birthday was a year ago and mines not until december xD Appreciate it though :) And I miss my dear brother too :( And don't feel forced to hate Twilight. Some of my guy friends love it. But I think theyre gay, so... LOL**

**SwordBearer: whoa you read my chapters more than once? O.o That's greatly appreciated! And it's good that you haven't seen the music video. It gets kind of disturbing xD Except for the part when a gummy bear sticks out the middle finger at Katy Perry. That was pretty funny xD**

**One Sky One Dream One Destiny: lol i know I hate AkuRoku too, but in all of my stories I like to tease it a little bit xP**

**Hearts in The Twilight: The underworld music? In Hercules? OMG i know. I was like a robot back then. Gimme any KH song and I could hum note by note x)**

**NightFalcon: No one voted for Team Cloud. WOO! XD**

**XxOoSolanaSkylarXxOo: LOL im called fun sized too :D Oh and I dont need luck for History. Already did it in summer school :) Smart fortune cookie right here :D **

**FreedomRocker: Oh, uh no. The Oathkeepers can only collaborate once. They won't be together anymore but I wish they could be x)**

**xLycheeRAIN: I know -insert heart here- It seems California Girls is a really popular song O.O **

**ShadowSpooky: Wow, no one's picked team akuroku before :D And I seriously have no idea how I come up with this. It's just... me xD**

**Shadic999: LOL no one's called my story sexy before xD**

**purpleeninjaaa: I LOVE YOUR USERNAME ;D And thanks for all the compliments. It means alot :)**

**Wow. 29 reviews for chapter 13. That's. That's... BEAUTIFUL T-T I love you all so much! Now I must go study and find a way to heal my little sickness. Halfway through replying to your reviews I just got sick and almost threw up. Maybe because I made Cloud kiss Kairi LOL. Anyways, sorry for the late update, please review and I'm terribly sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes!**

**xoKyorii**


	15. It's Complicated

**. T**e**e**nag**e** x **W**a**s**telan**d** .

**x**o . **K**yorii

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the song 'I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing' by Aerosmith and facebook.

**Warning:** Overintensive swearing in this chappie!

* * *

**. Chapter XV .**

_**. It's Complicated .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"If you can't get him out of your head, he's probably supposed to be there."_

"Previously on Teenage Wasteland..."

Hayner, cut the crap and give me the camera.

x

Kairi recalled a time when she was younger. She was six and had stolen the last cookie from the cookie jar without her mother's permission; she was strict about following orders. After taking a bite out of the moist cookie, she remembered how thrilling it felt when she swallowed it. It felt so good... so _amazing._

This is how she felt now.

But alas, Sora tasted way better than a measly cookie. He was like heaven with a dash of cinnamon (and a hint of hypnotizing body spray) . His kisses were much better than she remembered. They were much more full with emotion- she understood why. When years go by, people begin to learn the true meaning of love. Sora's kiss was affectionate. It was powerful although his lips were soft on hers. The sensation was indescribable.

But even the best of emotions can't last forever. She remembered the overwhelming guilt she felt when she ate the cookie. It was like someone had punched her stomach continuously, showing her no mercy. She couldn't deny how good and _right_ this felt, but it was all so _wrong_.

With all the strength she could muster, she shoved Sora off of her. He looked at her, cerulean eyes hazed with lust and confusion. Absolutely no sign of guilt. This angered her.

"What the hell are you doing? !" yelled Kairi at the top of her lungs. She backed away and toppled over to an ancient pillar, leaning against it for balance. She did not give him a chance to respond. Instead, he sat on the edge of the fountain, dumbfounded. "I'm with Cloud! CLOUD! I'm _dating_ CLOUD, Sora!" Now she felt dirty. She had just cheated on her boyfriend. She kissed another boy- pardon, young man. She was supposed to love Cloud, and Cloud only.

Stupid Sora. Stupid everything! "I WAS HAPPY!" She was going ballistic by now, tears welling up in her eyes, "Why did you have to be on the island, Sora? ! WHY? WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? ! I WAS HAPPY WITH CLOUD! WHY? ! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO INTERFERE? ! I HATE YOU!"

"Bullshit." He murmured, eyes skittish. This was not how he wanted their reuniting kiss to go.

"Excuse me?" She tried to act tough by placing her hands on her hips. The tears running down her face said otherwise.

"You heard me." He stood up, "Everything you just said was complete bullshit. You don't hate me. You could never hate me." His cockiness aggrivated her even more.

She clenched her fists, "Bullshit? You want to talk bullshit, Sora? BULLSHIT IS THE LOVE YOU SHOWED ME 2 YEARS AGO!"

"Oh really? !" His voice raised, frightening her a little, "Yes Kairi, let's talk bullshit! My love for you is bullshit- bull like the love Cloud has for you!"

Her heart shattered, her throat becoming dry, "Wh-What did you just say?"

Sora slapped his forehead, running the palm of his hand through his droopy eyes, "Motherfu... HE'S CHEATING ON YOU!"

"Why should I believe you?" She whimpered, voice frail and weak. She never considered the possibility. She would never cheat on Cloud- he would never cheat on her. But then again, she practically cheated on him just now. She refused to believe Sora. Everything about him was a lie, after all.

"Roxas told me." He whispered, crossing his arms. Now that was a different story. Roxas told him. Roxas was truthful. He never lied. He promised to love her cousin, and he never stopped. There was no doubt that what Roxas said was true, but the fact that it escaped Sora's lips made her doubt it.

"Where's the proof?" She asked, barely audible, "You can't just believe him like that... you can't just believe simple words like that..."

"Simple words." Sora mocked with a fake chuckle, "So tell me, when Cloud simply says he adores you, you believe it? When I simply tell you I love you, tell me you don't believe it. Come on. I dare you. Tell me that I don't love you. Tell me again that my love is bullshit. Tell me his kiss was better than mine. Say it, come on." She fell silent in disbelief. He half-heartedly smirked in triumph. It made her feel sick.

"Yeah, I thought so."

* * *

She was never going to live this down. She never should have come here in the first place. The instant she smacked Sora with that door, she should have left. That would have been the ideal time to leave. If she had left, no pain would have come to her. No Sora, no Cloud, no drama. She would just be at home, sitting on a hammock by the beach playing with her ukulele or, better yet, sitting down with a good book as she enjoyed the salty spray on her face. Yes, that sounded perfect- but it could never be true. What's done was done.

She had kissed Sora... and hated his ass for it. It was then Kairi realized that fate did not like her. It was official- they weren't friends anymore. This stupid problem made her individuality suffer.

"So what's this, you're never going to speak to me again?" Sora pouted, flopping down next to her on the couch. She didn't even look at him as a response. She was occupied with her iTouch.

"Kairi." He said seriously, inching closer to her face. She pushed him back, showing him the contents of her electronic device. There, on the screen, was a dummy being tortured as he was sent down a paved hill, crushing his bones in the process. The catch- Kairi had placed Sora's face on the dummy. He winced as he heard the bones crack.

x

Damn, she looks mad. You've really done it this time, huh? This the first time you've gotten into a huge fight since the break-up?

Sora was spacing out, thinking of the first time he and Kairi got into a fight. They were already dating by then, but still, their relationship was not perfect. It wasn't even remotely close.

**Destiny Islands, Lovelock Mansion, approx. two years ago**

"Sora, get out of my house!" Kairi slammed her door shut, leaving Sora to plead on the doorstep of her balcony. He was begging on his knees. He tried serenading her with her current favorite song, but his voice wasn't his professional singing voice. It was that of a desperate hobo.

"I DON'T WANNA CLOSE MY EYES! I DON'T WANNA FALL ASLEEP 'CAUSE I'D MISS YOU KAIRI, AND I DON'T WANNA MISS A THAAAAANG! CAUSE EVEN WHEN I DREAM OF YOU-" Just then his cell phone began to ring, cutting him off from his terrible serenade. "H-Hello? Who is this? I'm kinda busy."

"Yeah, Sora, it's Axel. The whole freaking neighbourhood can hear you so can you please do us a favour and SHUT THE HELL UP?"

* * *

He was the land before heaven and hell. He was the cross between black and white. The cavern between light and darkness. The sun and the moon. He was justice. He was the judge and the jury. He was the gay friend, per se. His name was Tidus Clearwater; Kairi's only remaining saviour.

"Tell me again why you need _my_ expertice? I mean, you have Selphie, don't you? I've got places to be, woman!"

"Yeah, in between your girlfriend's legs." Hayner snorted as he flopped down on the couch with a bag of chips. Tearing the top with his teeth, he began to stuff himself while playing Modern Warfare.

"Was that supposed to be an insult?" Tidus questioned with a smirk, "Because what I find funny is that I've actually got a girl and-oh, that's right, you don't."

"Why you hatin' on the Hayner?" Mad as he appeared to be, Hayner was actually fantasizing about Olette, but he wasn't about to admit that out loud.

"Guys," Kairi whined impatiently, "Can you save this for another time? I've got a real problem here!"

Hayner raised his hands in surrender and sang, "Sor-eeeee!"

Tidus averted his attention back to his best friend and observed her actions. She really looked confused. "How have you been feeling since then?" Tidus asked, going into psychiatrist mode.

"Sick. Very sick." She replied, clutching her stomach in pain.

"Sick because Sora kissed you?" Tidus smirked, "Or because Sora's kiss was _better_ than Cloud's?"

Kairi was dumbstruck. Was she really that blind? The thought never occurred to her. Was Sora's kiss indeed better than her boyfriend's? No doubt Sora's kiss was more powerful, but... there's Cloud, her _lover_.

_"Motherfu... HE'S CHEATING ON YOU!"_ She shivered.

"Have you come to a realization?" Tidus grinned like an idiot. Kairi could either be 1) in denial or 2) in the process of finding out he was right. Either way, the odds were definitely in his favour.

"I think Cloud's cheating on me." Kairi whispered, barely audible but Tidus got the hint, "I don't want to believe it, but..."

Tidus sighed, "Seriously, I'm not good with this girl stuff. Who told you about Cloud?"

"Sora," She whimpered, "He heard it from Roxas."

"No offense, but you're screwed."

"Gee, thanks."

"Hey! You're the one who called _me_ for help! I'm not trying to be optimistic or pessimistic- I'm being _realistic_!"

Kairi paused to regain her train of thoughts. They all just came back to one person- Sora. "I don't think its right to doubt my boyfriend, but everytime I feel like facing the problem I end up thinking of Sora, because even though he lied, he made everything go away..."

_He didn't lie_, Tidus thought, "So even though he inflicted the pain... he makes it go away?" _Why are girls so complicated?_

"Y-Yeah, if you put it that way." She bit on her cashmere sleeve, "I know I'm supposed to be thinking of Cloud but Sora just won't- augh, I feel sick saying this. It's not right."

"If you can't get him out of your head, he's probably supposed to be there," Shrugging casually, Tidus rose from his seat, "Face it Kai- everyone knows you belong with Sora, not Cloud. I suggest you look into this cheating thing more. You decide who your heart belongs to, but even I can see- hell, I bet even Hayner can see that you're in denial. No offense hun, but wake up please. It's Sora. And I know I'm supposed to be a good friend and tell you that its up to you, but for the sake of your well being, I'd pick Sora. Less pain that way. Even though he hurt you, he makes it go away, right?"

"..."

"..."

"... I'm gonna go talk to Selphie."

"Yeah, you should do that."

x

**Email: sora_the_sexii_beast [insert at symbol here] hotmail . com**

**Password: *********

55 new notifications._ Tch, fangirls._

**Hayner Arundel wrote on your Wall**

**Hayner:** Are you the one stealing all the chips? ! O.O THE LAST THING I NEED IS ANOTHER OLETTE REPLAY!

**Sora:** Gtfo. I didn't steal shit.

**Hayner:** Rawr, bitchy much?

**Sora**: Get a life and quit COD.

**Avielle Namine Emori wrote on your Wall**

**Namine**: Sora, are you ok? You should tell me what happened last nite- Roxas and I are worried :S

**Sora:** I'm fine.

**Hayner:** Bullshit.

**Sora:** Stop creeping my profile!

**Sora Hikari:** life sucks. Cloud Strife is an asshole.

**150 people like this.** _Hehehe, take that you girlfriend-stealing wiatch._

**18 comments**

**Riku: **You've joined the emo side- welcome. We have cookies.

**Hope:** Suicide is not the answer!

**Lightning:** Cloud Strife is indeed an ***.

**Cloud:** Don't hate me because im beautiful.

**Sora:** O.O

**Riku:** You're gay aren't you?

**Hope:** O.O

**Light:** ...

**Hayner:** Kairi hacked.

**Selphie:** Makes sense now :D

**Cloud:** Now that the universe is in order, can you guys just leave my boyfriend alone? Everything's perfectly fine!

**Tidus:** ...

**Cloud:** gtfo. Selphie we need to talk. Like. Now.

**Selphie:** On my way to your room atm :)

**Hayner:** NO HOMO.

**Riku:** Are you gay by any chance?

**Ventus:** Nah you shoulda seen his face during the tampon incident!

**Hayner:** SHUT UP.

**Kairi Lovelock** is in a relationship with **Cloud Strife** and It's Complicated.

**2 comments**

**Sora:** Dislike.

**Tifa:** Major dislike.

* * *

Placing his slim iPhone into his jean pocket (after a very good use of facebook, he may add) Sora made his way down the hallway of the second floor only to collide with Selphie at the spiral staircase. She too was on facebook on her cell phone.

"Up to see Kairi I presume? I hope you do better than Tidus." Sora was about to go in his emo-mode again until he noticed something different about Selphie. Besides her average seventies hairstyle and frilly yellow dresses, she looked... brighter today? Her expression changed when he said something. What was it?

Tidus. Tidus! TIDUS, YES, that had to be it. Wait, one more just to be sure.

"Uh, did you hear me? I said I hope you do better than Tidus." _Her lip twitched- I knew it_. "You like him don't you?"

"I-"

"It was a statement, not a question." When Sora smirked, his depressed facade washed away, "No sense in lying to me. I already see it."

Her cheeks puffed, "Yes, okay? Is that a crime? It's because he has a girlfriend, isn't it?"

He watched her expression sadden- it hurt him a little knowing that he was the one who encouraged Tidus to ask out Yuna. But Tidus loved the girl with all his heart. But no harm in Selphie still trying, huh? Careful Sora. Selphie might get hurt. Don't just tell her to jump in.

"Well?"

"Uh..." He scratched the back of his head gingerly, "Well, no crime in liking someone that's taken. You can't help who you fall in love with, right? I mean, I like Kairi... no, I love Kairi, and she's with Cloud. I'm still trying, aren't I?"

Selphie tapped her chin, "So...?"

Sora sighed, "How long have you liked him?" _Please say a week. Please say a week. PLEASE SAY A WEEK._

"Three years."

_DAMNIT. _"U-Uh, I'm gonna be honest here- I think you should tell him." _Yes, that's good. Tidus will let her down easy- she can move on. I don't want this girl wasting her time on someone who's seriously in love. Tidus loves Yuna. Alot. Selphie needs to find someone else._ "A-And tell me how it turns out... if you get hurt, which you might (just saying), you can come to me, all right?"

To his surprise, Selphie did not yell in protest like he expected. Instead, she placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled, "You're a good guy. You really do belong with Kairi."

"I wish she knew that, too."

x

From her room, Xion overheard the conversation between Sora and Selphie as she pressed her ear against the door. Riku was using her laptop on her bed, messing around with facebook after learning how to use it. He seemed to be enjoying it, that is, if Riku could actually enjoy something.

"Riku." She cooed, sitting next to him on the canopy bed. Xion's room didn't do much to reflect her- its walls were a hot pink and she had neon green lava lamps all over the place that matched her futuristic egg chairs.

"What is it?" Riku asked, pushing up his reading glasses. A small blush rose to his cheeks at his distance from Xion. Their shoulders were touching, barely leaning against each other- but hey, it was something.

"Do you believe-"

"Believe has the word lie in it."

"All right, do you_ think_ that when someone is in love with a certain person, they should tell that person about their feelings even though they're in love with someone else?"

_What an ironic question_, he thought. He pulled off his glasses and bit on the edge, searching for the right answer. Was this it? Should he say yes, and confess right here? Right now, in the middle of the afternoon as the waves crashed on the shore? Just as he was about to decide, the doorbell rang. He sighed and watched Xion run to the hallway in curiosity. Wearing a black tank top and grey cotton shorts, he found it hard not to stare at her as she gazed down the railings.

From below, Roxas answered the door expecting to see Axel, and he was both right and wrong. Standing before him was Axel, but not the Axel he knew. Not the happy, playful and flirtatious Axel that was his best friend. This Axel was someone else. This Axel was... broken. The tall redhead stood panting and bawling at the doorstep of the Hikari household, seizing Roxas by the shoulders.

"A-Axel..." Roxas sputtered.

"...Larxene's pregnant."

**In the next chapter:**

_"She's pregnant all right."_

_"I will stand by you, no matter what."_

_"My cousin's household is definetely the most twisted and dramatic."_

_"We'll be put in an arena to kill each other."_

_"I need you to destroy Sora."_

* * *

**I honestly don't know how to start this author note. I'm going to start off by saying that I'm incredibly sorry for the late update, but I have a perfectly legit reason for that. (Oh, and SGHSFKGFSBGKUREG for that last line ;P)The one answer I can give you is drama. I think... these past three weeks have been the most dramatic in my life. I'll spare you the details, but I've gone through some heavy shit.**

**Now I can't reply to your amazing reviews (again sorry for the wait and thanks for the 33 reviews for the last chapter :DDDDD) since I'm tired and I've got some thinking to do. I appreciate you all very much. Please review, thanks for reading this chapter, thanks for the support, sorry for the many grammar errors and I love you all :)**

**xoKyorii**


	16. Estheim's Anatomy

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!)**

**OTHER:**

**Hunger Games:** A book trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. Olette is completely obsessed with her work as well as many other teens on the island. The uproar about the book has caused the island to create a real life replica of the book, which every teen can enjoy if they wish to.

**Battle Royale:** A japanese movie in which a ninth grade class is selected to fight in an arena to the death until _one _survives to be the victor.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hunger Games or Battle Royale (: ! And Squenix, but everyone knows that ;D

* * *

**. Chapter XVI .**

_**. Estheim's Anatomy .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"Well, you know how people can be, Light. They can be strong as solid rock, but eventually, they can break."_

Previously on Teenage Wasteland...

Axel seems to have a problem...

_"A-Axel..."_

_"Larxene's pregnant."_

Sora struggles on his quest to win Kairi back...

_"Why did you have to be on the island, Sora? ! WHY? WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? ! I WAS HAPPY WITH CLOUD! WHY? ! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO INTERFERE? ! I HATE YOU!"_

_"Bullshit."_

Kairi tries to get her feelings straight- is she on team Sora, or team Cloud?

_"I don't think its right to doubt my boyfriend, but everytime I feel like facing the problem I end up thinking of Sora, because even though he lied, he made everything go away..."_

Something's wrong with Selphie- what is it? And what will she do about her crush on Yuna's boyfriend, Tidus?

_"Whoa, you look different today, Selphie."_

_"Yeah, you look tired as hell."_

_"I'm fine. Woo, that smells good!"_

_"Eat up."_

_"Are you sure you're okay, Selph?"_

**[scene shift]**

_"You like him don't you?"_

_"I-"_

_"It was a statement, not a question. No sense in lying to me, I already see it."_

_"Yes, okay? Is that a crime? It's because he has a girlfriend, isn't it?"_

And will Xion confront Sora? Will Riku ever confess his undying love for his best friend?

_"All right, do you think that when someone is in love with a certain person, they should tell that person about their feelings even though they're in love with someone else?"_

Find out on this episode of Teenage Wasteland...

x

"So... is it for sure?" Although his voice hitched, Hope understood what he meant. Poor Axel stood before him with puffy eyes, slouched shoulders, deflated red hair and twiddling thumbs. In the empty, quiet hallway, all you could hear were Axel's sobs. Very slowly, Hope bobbed his head up and down. Fresh tears began gathering in Axel's eyes. He clenched his fists in order to keep them from falling.

"She's pregnant all right." Lightning clarified, walking out of the bathroom with a blue-coloured device in hand.

Speaking for Axel, Roxas gently asked, "How long?"

"One week in." Hope sighed, turning his head away. He couldn't stand to see someone in pain. This was the only downside of his favoured career.

"I'm sorry." Said Lightning, emotionless, but deep down, Hope knew his tears bothered her even in the slightest bit.

"We should leave them..." Hope whispered, being led away into the living room by his mentor. When their footstops were out of earshot, Axel slid down with his back against the wall. He hid his face in his arms and breathed heavily.

Roxas kneeled down and placed a hand on his best friend's knee, patting him for comfort. This was the first time he had ever seen Axel so... broken.

Through the years, Axel was always the stronger one whether it be strength or flirting, but no matter how many girls he chased, no matter how many he flirted with, no matter how many he kept or threw away, Axel was a young man who knew his limits.

_Guess not_, Roxas pursed his lips- how was he to help him? "Axel..."

"S-She was so beautiful that day, Rox..." He croaked, "You... don't understand. I... wasn't myself anymore. I was a man that day... I was so caught up a-and... she was wearing s-such a nice dress... her green eyes were so b-bright... and her _smile_, God Roxas, her smile... Roxas... her smile was just... we were the o-only ones on the dance floor..." As Roxas let him continue, his eyes shifted slightly to his left towards the doorway and caught Larxene peering through the frame with puffy eyes and shriveling hands. She looked cold, but her eyes were warm with love listening to Axel's words.

"R-Rox," Axel sobbed, "I think you were right."

"About?"

"Me... being in... being in love with Larxene." Another sob. But this time, it came from Larxene.

Axel's head snapped up, locking eyes with Larxene. The hallway was dull, but through the windows, the sun's light began to seep through the curtains. "La..."

She gripped the doorframe tighter, "Do you mean it?" Without hesitation, he firmly nodded, "Larxene, I... I devoted myself to you that night. And I..." Roxas gave Axel a stern look and nodded as if telling him something. He gulped and nodded, "I will stand by you, no matter what. I... I won't leave you, I promise."

Roxas had to admit, the first time he saw Larxene, he expected her to be a bitch hands down. But now he understood that she was simply someone who stood up for what she believed in, and right now, she believed that Axel's love was true. It was evident in both their expressions. Larxene was exactly what Axel needed. She was someone who could keep him in order, keep him committed, but most importantly, she made him happy.

"Thanks..." She mumbled, blushing with quivering lips that begged to be kissed. Roxas took note of this and proceeded down the hall, leaving the two with their moment of love and sorrow.

* * *

In the living room, Selphie bombarded Hope and Lightning with questions. "So they're going to keep it? They're going to keep it, right? It was 100% sure? No lie? This is legit? Is she getting an abortion? Is she keeping it? Did I ask that already? Is Axel leaving her? Did she look like she wanted to keep it? How long is she in? How-"

Lightning had her fist at the ready whilst Hope noticed something odd about Selphie's appearance. She was thin, and not just thin, but _scary_ thin. She looked wearier than usual with the intensive bags under her eyes, she was even more chatty than usual (in fact it looked like she was using her words to hide something), there were small scars on her knuckles and her cheeks looked puffy as if she had just cried.

"Sorry to interrupt," Kairi waved innocently from the kitchen, "But have any of you seen the chocolate ice cream? Did you see Hayner eat it or something...?"

The gamer growled, "I'm strictly a chip person! Besides, I don't even have any chips! I wanna know who the heck is stealing all our damn food!"

_Scary thin, missing food, eye bags, change in behaviour, scars on knuckles, puffy cheeks..._ There was no doubt about it. Hope snapped his fingers; he knew who took them.

x

"Never thought I'd be here discussing my future as a father." Axel pressed his palms against the edge of the meeting table, pushing himself backward as he balanced on a chair. In the other hand, he held Larxene's tightly. Roxas grinned from the other side of the meeting room- it was official. They were dating. Axel had finally found someone who he would stick with and be commited to.

"So have you made a decision?" Riku asked- for once he looked like he genuinly cared. The whole household (plus Hope and Lightning) was seated in the meeting room, helping Axel and Larxene with their situation.

"The real question is if you two are willing to keep it." Sora said offhandidly. His posture was slouched and he looked as if he didn't have a care in the world, regardless if Kairi hated him or not, "Are you willing to go through this ordeal? What if your love isn't strong enough-"

"Sora," Kairi hissed, "Shut up."

Roxas sighed, "Both of you, this tension isn't needed. If you're going to go at it, leave. This is about Axel and Larxene." Kairi scoffed and crossed her arms. Body language translation: _I'll stop if he does_. Sora just smirked, challenging her.

Hope rolled his eyes and focused on the situation at hand, "I wouldn't recommend an abortion- adoption is a good choice if you don't want to keep it. You haven't killed any life form that way."

"I agree," Xion said softly, "If you go for an abortion... the life you've created will just be... two eyes that will never see, two ears that will never hear... a heart that will cease to beat..." The household stared oddly at Xion's dramatic statement. Riku didn't, though. He understood. He was the only one that understood.

"When you put it that way," Larxene placed a hand on her stomach, "... it makes me want to... save it..."

Axel sat upright, "It's ours, Larxene. No matter what we do, it will always be ours. Do you... want to destroy the being that gave us a push in our relationship?"

"My mom... is going to kill me..." Larxene sobbed, "But... I don't want to kill our baby. No. I can't do that..." Everyone had to admit how off-character Larxene was acting. She didn't even look like herself anymore. There was no intensive make-up or hairspray in her hair. She was just Larxene. And she was... beautiful.

"Adoption then?" Hope suggested.

She bit her lip, "Can I... take care of it for awhile? I want to spend time with the baby... I don't want to let it go yet."

Axel staggered, "But-"

She looked at him sternly, "I don't want to let it go."

He gulped, "Yes dear."

"Wow, finally!" Hayner flailed his arms around, "Someone actually has control over Axel!"

With a grin, Axel pulled his girlfriend towards him, "We're going to get through this, I promise. Everything's... gonna be alright. I'll even talk to your parents. You don't have to worry about a thing... just let me take care of everything." Everyone's heart warmed- it was evident in Axel's speech that he had truly grown since he came to the island.

"So, this settles it," Axel suddenly said, letting go of Larxene's hands and slamming them onto the table, "We have to win battle of the bands." The band members arched their brows. "If we win," He began to explain, "We get the million munny grand prize! We'll split it, yeah, but Larxene and I need that money to make a living. I can get a job, sure, but it won't be enough for us to start our lives. We're only going to college- we need the money. Badly. And I know our parents can help, but this time they're going to test me- I want to show them that I _can_ and I _will_ do this on my own. Larxene's parents will be convinced that she chose a great guy. So how about it? We need to step up our game."

"That's a little..." Sora began, "Demanding."

"Easier said than done," Roxas looked off to the side.

"Yes, but it's completely necessary." Hope agreed although he was part of an opposing band.

"So I guess that settles it," Roxas slammed his hand on the table for confirmation, "Looks like we're winning Battle of The Bands, gentlemen!"

* * *

"My cousin's household is officially the most twisted and dramatic," While letting out an exasperated sigh, Hope trudged out the Hikari household with his back slouched.

"No kidding." Lightning grumbled while keeping in tow behind him. After all the drama and discussing, the two were finally let out when the sun began to set. "Damn kids can't set themselves straight. First I thought that Axel could control himself, but it's surprising how wrong I was. And that Selphie girl... not sure if you notice, but she's bulemic, isn't she? We should talk to her about that next time. She could get in real trouble with that girl Sora's after. She cares for her a lot."

"Well, you know how people can be, Light. They can be strong as solid rock, but eventually, they can break."

Light's cold eyes blinked twice, glowing orange as the sky reflected off of them. Luckily Hope wasn't looking at her as he walked ahead, or he would've seen that imperfect smile on her face. She couldn't help but feel that Hope didn't just aim that statement at Axel and Selphie. It was also for her.

**The next day, 11:00am**

"OH. MY. GOOGLE!"

Annoyed, Roxas stomped down the staircase into the living room while rubbing his naturally messy hair. In the living room, everyone was already present including Olette who seemed to be jumping with her arms around Hayner's neck. Only she and Hayner looked excited- everyone else looked cranky. Roxas understood why. He was the last to wake. He was supposed to make breakfast... but he didn't.

"THANK YOU HAYNER! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" Olette squealed, tightening her grip around him. He blushed madly as she shook him back and forth.

"So when did those two hook up?" Roxas asked groggily to no one in particular. Kairi was the one who answered with an emotionless expression, "They didn't. Hayner just gave her some Hunger Games tickets and she started freaking out."

"Hunger Games?" Roxas' eyes bulged, "They have it here?"

"YES!" Olette shrieked, "It starts tomorrow!"

Hayner shrugged sheepishly, pretending not to care that the love of his life had her arms encricled around his neck, "Well, uh... I knew you love the books and ah, if you had the oppurtunity to live it... I'm sure you'd take it so uh... enjoy."

"What's the big deal about this book anyway?" Selphie asked, filing her nails.

"WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?" Roxas and Olette yelled in disbelief. Judging by his reaction, Roxas was a huge fan too.

"Hunger Games is an _amazing_ trilogy written by Suzanne Collins," Roxas began, using his know-it-all voice, "It's about a girl named Katniss Everdeen and-"

"_Boring_," Sora sang, sitting upside down on a couch while playing 'Black Ops' on the plasma screen.

"It's about teenagers put into an arena to kill each other." Roxas mumbled, knowing his brother would now be interested. In fact, the whole household seemed interested (minus Namine, of course).

"Now _that's_ more like it." Sora sat upright, intrigued in the conversation, "So what, the island's making an arena for us to kill each other in?" Sora's optimistic look bothered Kairi- wasn't he even in the least bit bothered that he kissed her? Or that she was mad at him? He didn't have a care in the world!

"That's messed up," Kairi twitched, "What idiots would want to get themselves killed in an arena?" She directed the idiot part at Sora.

"That's against the law," Olette giggled, "Course not. In the book, they have no other choice. But for us, we have the choice. They will put us in an arena to kill each other, but not _really_ kill each other. Weapons aren't real. Arena isn't real. It's just like Leadenstrike. An illusion."

"Yeah because an illusion can break my leg." Sora joked half-heartedly.

"This is just like Battle Royale," Riku said with his arms crossed, "Innocent people killing each other off. It's disgusting."

Xion shrugged, "Well I don't care. I'm going in." Everyone froze.

"No you're not." Riku gritted his teeth but Xion gave him a stern look. She got what she wanted.

"Fine, but if you're going in, so am I. Just to make sure you don't get hurt. You can do that, right? Alliances?"

Olette nodded, "But you do know you'll have to kill each other off, right?"

"So you can _hurt _people, right?" Sora grinned evilly, "Say, Kairi, think your boyfriend is interested in this kind of thing?"

She didn't need to respond in words. Her pursed lips was an enough answer._ Yes_. Sora leaned back on the couch with satisfaction. He had an oppurtunity to destroy Cloud Strife- he wasn't going to let it pass. There was no real danger; he survived through last time. He could easily do it again. He had nothing left to lose.

**Yesterday, 11:48pm**

In the corner of the island, a shaggy blond in a beanie hat sat in the corner of a jail cell with his two minions. It was dark, stale and the place wasn't particular a sight for sore eyes. The three were getting impatient, eyes hazed with revenge and could snap at any second. Suddenly the door opened, illuminating the room with little light. At the door was a slim figure with short hair, walking towards the jail cell whilst swishing the keys in hand.

She opened the cell, smiling afterwards. Seifer, the one in the corner shielded his eyes from the light.

He squinted and adjusted his eyes to the girl, "Hey, I know you. You're that girl always following Sora around with a camera. What are you doing here?"

The figure just continued to smile as her feminine voice echoed off the uncleanly walls, "I have a job for you."

"I'm in jail. Not out yet 'til Wednesday."

"I know. Name's Aqua Elendi. I'm bailing you all out early. Why? I need you destroy Sora in the Hunger Games."

**In the next chapter:**

_"I can't believe I signed up for this."_

_"I don't care if she wants me 100 meters away from her- I will find a way to keep her safe from that distance."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_"Don't worry baby! Your hero's here!"_

_"You've got to be kidding me."_

* * *

**Okay. I give you all permission to virtually shoot me. It's been... what? A month and a few days? Damn. Who thought I was dead? :O ****Well, for the record, I have a legit reason. School, drama, hunger games... I swear it's the most amazing series I've read. If you know it, GREAT! I'm on the last book now; Mockingjay. I'm halfway done so NO SPOILERS. I even bought the mockingjay pin :D If you don't, you should :). Don't worry, if you don't I'll make it abundantly clear in the next chapter where they try to kill each other ;D It won't be confusing I promise.**

**Anyway, back to my reason. I've been WAY too focused on school lately, but it was worth it. I just got my report card today. I've got 90's and higher in all my classes except one. Yes. Math. Fml. Rawr! Nonetheless my grade average is 90.5% :) I'm also top in my class in Careers and English. We had to creative write. Boy, was that a giveaway or what? xD**

**And now... the most important reason. I went through so much to get this chapter done. I couldn't find any inspiration, and I know how rushed this chapter may have been, but I promise I will get back on track, especially with the next chapter. It's just... I couldn't find the will to write. I really need to put the past behind me now. Sorry for the lack of details. I just really don't want to remember it.**

**Forgive me for updating so late. I hope you understand. I hope you still review and forgive all the grammar errors. Thank you SO SO much for all this support. I really do love you all :)**

**xoKyorii**

**Oh... and Jared Someone wanted a shoutout so... HI JARED :D**


	17. Hunger Royale Part I

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a_**s**_tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**Hunger Royale:** The Island's re-established mixture of 'The Hunger Games' and 'Battle Royale', both the objective being to kill all your opponents in an arena and fight to become the victor. You join at your own risk.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Battle Royale, Hunger Games or Effie Trinket's infamous line (:

* * *

**. Chapter XVII .**

_**. Hunger Royale Part I .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"And may the odds... be __**ever**_ _in your favour."_

Sora couldn't understand- it was impracticable.

The scenario seemed fresh and attainable in his mind; join the Hunger Games, keep Kairi safe, outshine Cloud, survive to be the victor, somehow make Kairi want him again and do all this without getting a single scratch. All of that was impossible now. At the bottom of the list of competitors was Sora's worst nightmare:

**サイファアルマシ ****Almasy, Seifer**

He wasn't sure if he was hallucinating- he'd been doing that a lot lately since Kairi avowed her hatred for him. He not only felt unhealthy, but also the complete opposite of himself. Seifer was supposed to be in jail. This wasn't possible. How could he beat Seifer when he was depressed_? Get out of this slouch, duh,_ He told himself.

Only problem was that it was easier said than done.

x

"No, you are _not_ doing this. Not you. Not Sora. Not Hayner or Riku. You're staying." There was a sense of austerity in Axel's voice. The look on his face made his word final.

Roxas pleaded, "Axel, we're here to have _fun_. You know I love the Hunger Games! Just let me give it a try, please."

"You think I can have _fun_ Roxas?" The redhead yelled mockingly, "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm about to raise a family and start my life! I can't afford to have fun right now! I can't let you go. Get the rest of the band members. We're staying and we're freaking practicing until Battle of The Bands on Friday. We have to win. Does my situation mean nothing to you?"

"Axel, we have a week and the crowd will love us no ma—"

"I don't give a damn!" More shouting, "We have to be certain and get this right!" Axel growled and trudged towards the practice room. Roxas' arm was extended as if to reach out for him but even he knew it was futile. Axel was gone now. His best friend wasn't there anymore. He had been replaced with a dreary, livid beast.

"We won't win if you act like that," Roxas mumbled as he passed by the half-open door, "The Oathkeepers were about fun and laughs- do you really think we can laugh with you acting like that?"

Silence.

"You have us, you know. Battle of The Bands isn't your last hope, Axel. Larxene would've hated to see you like this."

Axel sat by his drum kit, engulfed in flame patterns splashed with metallic gold, red, silver and black. He slowly spun his drumsticks in one hand, eyes plummeting down to the snare drum, "How long will this battle take?"

Roxas beamed, "I'll make it quick; two days tops. You'll see it on live television."

He snickered, "Better make it quick or I might go in there and kill all of you myself."

* * *

**Hunger Games Battle 3 Competitors:**

**Household: **_Hikari_

Hikari, Sora

Hikari, Roxas

Lovelock, Kairi

Arundel, Hayner

Simnel, Xion

Somneri, Riku

Lovet, Olette

**Household:** _Farron_

Farron, Lightning

Farron, Serah

Villiers, Snow

Estheim, Hope

Oerba, Yun Fang

Oerba, Dia Vanille

Fleuret, Stella

Caelum, Noctis

**Household:** _Strife_

Strife, Cloud

Fair, Zack

Kisaragi, Yuffie

Lockhart, Tifa

**Household:** _Leonhart_

Kinneas, Irvine

**Household:** _Lisieux_

Lisieux, Marluxia

Klessonsteil, Demyx

Oryxine, Axel

**Household:** _Almasy_

Almasy, Seifer

x

Kairi clamped a hand over her mouth in disgust, "I can't believe I signed up for this."

She, along with her competitors, were placed in a theatre to watch replays of the previous two Hunger Games that took place on the island. On the large screen was Tidus (a previous player), decapitating some unknown teenager that tried to kill his Yuna. The poor boy let out a sickening death cry, falling to the ground in defeat as he disintegrated into thin air like a hologram that had been touched. Kairi, not being able to contain herself, took a nearby bucket and decided to let her breakfast back out.

She could take horror movies. She could take killing. She could take the decapitating, but the fact that she was actually going to see that with her friends was _horrifying_! Although she loathed Sora with all her might, seeing his head separated from his body was just disturbing.

"Do you all want to get scarred for life? What sick minded person would join this?" She asked wearily. Everyone's right hand shot up in the air with wide grins on their faces (even Lightning). She sweat dropped.

"Now of course it isn't real, babe." Cloud said with sincerity, pulling the move on her, "It's just an illusion. He didn't really get his head cut off. There wasn't even any blood." She leaned into him more although she didn't feel comfortable doing so.

She could feel Tifa staring daggers at her from behind. He wasn't nearly as comfy as Sora (something she'd never admit to anyone- even herself).

"Yes, but- it looks so real!" She shrieked in horror.

"Kairi, honestly, little girly girls like you shouldn't even be here. You don't stand a chance against these babies," Hayner flexed his non-existent muscles, "Have you met my friends? Thunder and lightning?"

Kairi smirked, "Yeah I remember them. They were the same _girls_ that couldn't open the jam jar this morning."

Olette giggled. Hayner gave Kairi a death glare and thumbs up, spinning it 180 degrees counter clockwise in a 'you're going down' gesture. Suddenly the crowd began to laugh. On the screen was another unknown teen that looked rather disappointed. In the backpack he stole was his weapon, and sadly, it was just a measly spoon. The person he created an alliance with also opened their backpack only to find a pot lid inside.

"They're going to fight with a _pot lid_ and a _spoon_?" Hope chortled, "What could you possibly do with that?"

Vanille pointed her index finger up, "Actually the spoon can be very useful. You could shove it up-"

Fang covered her mouth, "Let's not talk about how we catch food back in Pulse, yeah?"

Snow shuddered, "I'm kind of scared of you two now."

"It's the cute girls you have to watch out for," Noctis hissed, "They're the most deadly."

Sora watched as Kairi giggled and joked around with Hayner. She was so cute when she laughed. In his world, everyone stopped moving just to watch her laugh and bask in her radiance. He shook himself out of his trance, "Boy, do I know it."

"So is everyone ready?" Asked the perky woman who was supposed to explain the rules and regulations. Each competitor nodded. The woman clapped, "Alright, good. In the change rooms below you will find your suits and be taken into the arena. I wish you all the best of luck- and like they say in the hunger games- may the odds, be _ever_ in your favour."

* * *

**Hunger Royale, Dome (underground), change room number 4 **

After admiring himself in the full-length mirror thrice, Roxas turned around and found his brother suiting up in their Hunger Royale uniform. He looked uneasy- to cheer him up, he whistled, "Damn, you look hot." In that moment, Sora chuckled lightly and admired their battle attire.

The uniform was the same for all males and consisted of many layers. The first was a white long-sleeved shirt with black belts tied around the elbow and wrist area. Overtop was a heavier deep red tunic that went all the way to their thighs with more belts strapped across the waist and two vertical belts that went from the shoulder to the hem. Excess lining and black felt shoulder pads on the tunic made it look more technologic. Their pants were black with more belts and were mostly covered up by their knee-high boots. A white cloth lined with black went from Sora's hip to his thigh and neatly had his name sewed onto it in traditional Japanese writing. On his neck (rather, everyone's neck- including the girls) was a silver collar that would explode if you ever tried to cheat- hypothetically meaning you would basically die and be teleported back into your change room. Final touches on the uniform included the dull yellow scarf he had overtop and leather gloves.

"It's a little much, no? We're not even getting hit with real weapons." The brunet began to pull on his scarf due to suffocation, "And it's freaking hot."

Roxas shrugged, "The designers wanted something flashy- it's on TV, remember? Plus you don't know what kind of arena we'll be in. Maybe it's all snowy and cold."

"Maybe it's a desert and they're actually trying to kill us."

"Well if it is indeed a desert, you can always strip yourself down. The audience would love that." His twin brother winked, "I know I would."

Sora raised his hands over his chest defensively, "Hey now, Roxas, you've already got RokuNami and AkuRoku to deal with. You don't want RokuSora twincest in there either."

With a laugh, he punched Sora on the shoulder, "You seem all right."

Perplexed, Sora asked, "What?"

"The Kairi thing doesn't seem to be bothering you as much as I thought. Don't even get me started about Seifer." Roxas seemed more worried about it than Sora, "And if you want to win, you'll have to hypothetically kill them both."

"I don't intend on winning," Sora turned his head dramatically, "I have two goals. How they're achieved, it doesn't matter. One, I'm keeping Kairi safe. I don't care if she wants me 100 meters away from her- I will find a way to keep her safe from that distance. Two, I'm going to make her feel as safe as possible- and yes, that means I'm going to kill Seifer before anyone else kills me."

Before Roxas could comment, the stainless steel walls around them were sucked into the ground and were replaced by glass. They could see every competitor in their change rooms (all already in uniform of course) and ready for battle. The announcer's voice (most of them recognized the deep voice to be Cid Raines) rung through the speakers and boomed across the whole room.

_Please step onto the platform to be taken into the arena. The battle will commence in one minute._

In front of each competitor was a clear tube with a small, circular glowing platform. They all stepped onto the platform and like an elevator; they were carried up the clear tube to what would be the arena.

"Yeah baby let's do this!" Hayner's muffled voice cheered through the glass on Sora's left. All 24 competitors lined up were being taken up at the same time, everyone with either excited or anxious faces.

To Sora's right was Kairi, dressed in her fitting battle attire although it didn't contain as much armor as his did. The female uniform also had many layers. First was a white halter dress that split in half around the waist area. It had large swirl patterns on the hem and had small pockets for stashing daggers. Under the dress was a mini skirt much but in deep purple. Overtop the halter dress was a sleek black tank top with wide straps and a light pink hood. It would've shown a wide amount of cleavage if it weren't for the halter dress inside. On Kairi's waist was a black corset, showing off her perfect curves. On her left arm was a single lacy black sleeve, just like how Cloud wore his SOLDIER uniform. On her right arm, there were various bangles and elbow braces. She wore the same collar on her neck. On her creamy right leg was a pouch tied around her thigh with a belt. She wore lacy black boots with light pink laces and a purple clip that read "HR" (Hunger Royale) in her hair. She tied it into a perfect ponytail with some still hair framing her face. Her porcelain skin glowed naturally, something that always had Sora awestruck.

He looked at her as they were getting taken up, placing his hand on the glass as if he tried to touch her.

"I'm sorry." He mouthed.

She gave him a look of sympathy with watery violet eyes before giving him a frown. She looked away from him and crossed her arms. They had reached the peak of the elevator and the glass tube had disappeared, leaving them only on the platform. The battle was to take place in the same dome the Leadenstrike race took place, although the scenery was much different. The 24 competitors balanced themselves on the small glowing platform as they were circulating around a very high bright tower. They weren't allowed to move or jump off until the minute was over or their collars would explode.

Most of the competitors were already freaking out- they were hundreds of feet off the ground and if they fell; they'd fall into the city below them in a very bloody death. Those who weren't scared distinguished reality with the illusion and knew they weren't really going to die.

Sora, who was still dazed by Kairi's face suddenly came into focus when the sound of a gong rung through the arena, indicating that the battle had begun. _Focus, Sora, focus,_ he told himself, _Take in the scenery. Okay. Black sky- obviously nighttime. Brightly lit techno city hundreds of feet below me. Shit, okay. Just don't look down. Platforms circulating around this huge tower… it's taking us all to the peak. There must be something waiting for us at the peak. Got it. Just keep balance, don't look down, don't panic and you'll survive. _

"Holy mother of google!" Roxas shrieked, Sora was always the better one at containing his fears, "At least when I thought we'd start we'd be on the _ground_!" He started screaming and panicking, knocking himself off balance and off the platform. Sora watched as his twin brother fell down below, disappearing like a hologram when touched. Axel laughed a little then yelled, "You better start practicing for battle of the bands while I'm gone! Heh, poor guy's probably crying in the change room by now."

A cannon-like sound was heard, meaning that someone had died- that 'someone' being Roxas. More people began to panic and fall- Stella and Demyx (although he fell because Marluxia threw his shoulder pad at him). Two more cannons fired.

_Where's Kairi?_ Was what Sora thought next. About four feet above him was Kairi on her platform, keeping perfect balance as she was taken to the top.

At the peak of the tower was what was called the Plethora- renamed from the Hunger Game's Cornucopia. It was a large golden horn that held supplies for the competitors.

Lightning was the first to reach the top. She jumped off her platform, took a duffel bag from the Plethora and dived down towards the city. "That girl has done every drug known to man," Hayner watched as she fell past him, "What the heck is she doing? !"

Suddenly Lightning started glowing purple- she had a small device in her hand that caused her to do so. Everyone could vaguely see her land perfectly on her feet without a single scratch as the force field around her disappeared. _It's one of those manadrive things…_ Sora immediately jumped of his platform and searched the peak of the tower for the same gadget Lightning had taken. Once he found it, he heard light footsteps behind him. Serah had jumped off her platform as well.

Sora quickly picked up a knife off the floor and threw it at her direction- she screamed but Snow had taken the blow for her. "Don't worry baby," He tried to sound dramatic as he disappeared, "Your hero's here!"

Sora rolled his eyes, took a duffel bag and jumped off the tower as well but made sure to take a knife with him as well. As he fell, he activated his force field then aimed the knife at Seifer. Surely enough he caught it and tried to throw it back but the force field prevented it from hitting him. Sora landed on the ground gracefully and immediately started looking for a place to hide.

"The arena's going to change." A voice said from behind. He gulped- the only person that reached the ground was—

"Lightning_._"_ Don't kill me_, he inwardly pleaded. He still had to keep Kairi safe. About twenty seconds of silence passed. "Uh." He began to scratch the back of his head, "What was it that you said? We're killing time and the rest of our opponents are coming down. Speaking of which…" _Lightning's my enemy- isn't she?_

"Why aren't I killing you?" She finished for him, "Follow me- I'll explain on the way." With that said, she began sprinting across the neon-colored downtown streets.

**Hayner & Olette**

"Keeping up back there?" Olette giggled, dashing about five feet ahead of Hayner. She decided to take point as her partner tried to catch his breath as he ran. They were speeding through what seemed like a forest in the city. It was dark- the only things you could see were shadows and tree branches.

"I-I'm fine!" He said breathlessly, staggering forward. He fell flat on his face, causing Olette to stop. "Are you alright?" She asked sympathetically, kneeling down to his level. She could notice the red liquid running down his knee. She began to bring out the first aid kit. The weapons could bring no real harm to the competitors, but if you fell flat on your face or punched someone, you could actually feel the pain. Anything physical between two people was real.

"Don't," Hayner choked, "It's just a scrape." She laughed at his attempt to be manly, "Let me help you. We just need a band-aid, nothing crucial." He turned beet red (he thanked the shadows for hiding his face) as she lifted up his pant leg. _Phew. I shaved. Thank goodness._

"As I'm doing this," She began unwinding the bandages, "Might as well check what weapons we got." He nervously reached past her creamy leg to pick up her duffel bag. _Focus, Hayner. Don't look at the brainy hot girl._

He unzipped her bag first, discovering a fancy crossbow inside. "Damn," He whispered, "You got lucky." The weapon began to glow a light blue, illuminating the darkness. What Hayner saw was surprising- Olette's face was also as red as his. They both turned away, then went back to work. She tied the bandage around his knee as he opened his duffel bag. "I bet I'm going to get something kickass." He said excitedly. When he unzipped his bag, he sweat dropped. Inside was a folded cardboard box. _That_ was his weapon. A measly cardboard box. Olette guffawed.

"You've _got_ to be _kidding_ me."

**In the next chapter: **

_"Aloha oe.."_

_"I promised to keep you safe last time, and I failed. I can't fail you this time."_

_"After everything he's done to you-!"_

_"Friday, date with Ventus."_

_"I just saw… I just saw Sora kissing Xion."_

* * *

**Guys, you have to check this out! So, a few weeks ago, Dreamstation369 drew my actual designs for the Hunger Royale battle! It's really cool so if you wanna see it just go to my profile. There's a link that leads you right to it :D Thanks Dreamstation369!**

**Now, to the AN.**

**How should I start off this author's note? I'll start off with 'I'm very sorry I updated so friggin late!' But I do NOT give you permission to shoot me. Why? It's my birthday tomorrow :) I don't want to die until I turn 15, okay? LOL. This chapter was actually supposed to end on a more serious note but since it's almost Christmas (or the holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas), I wanted to leave it on a little humorous note. And I know Aqua wasn't in this chapter at all, but she will be in the next one :) There will also be more action in the next one, FO SHO. I had to cut this chapter short since I wanted to update as soon as possible, and this was the best place to cut it lol. You have to feel sorry for Hayner. Poor kid got a cardboard box as a weapon lol.**

**I know the Hunger Games has tons of action and suspense and I didn't put much in here, but I swear there will be SO MUCH ACTION in the next one. I won't disgrace the book in the next chapter LOL. And yes, I did come up with the character designs myself. **

**Oh, and there's another reason I updated late. You can blame this game called 'Eternal Sonata'. OMG. I'm like in love with it. It's a game for the PS3 and I was busy playing it for a good two weeks xD I got sick of FFXIII (Yes. Omg. I got sick of it.) so I decided to buy another asian looking game and I just happened to come across an amazing game :). If you like anime I suggest you get it.**

**Also, yesterday, my friends and I gave each other our Secret Santa gifts (I got a hello kitty plushie in a panda costume- if you haven't guessed by now, I'm VERY asian xD) and my guy friend bought another one of my guy friends a thong. Yes. A THONG. LOOL. Man, I love my friends. They're all coming over for my birthday tomorrow :) I'm pretty psyched.**

**And now I'm going to do what I haven't done in awhile- REPLY TO REVIEWS!**

**SoraIsTheKeybladeMaster: Oh thank goodness you like it! I was worried some 6-year-old readers of mine would read it and start crying because of the violence xD Then I remembered I have teen readers lol. And awee that's really sweet thank you :)There's more action in the next chapter so I promise I won't disgrace the book in the next chapter lol.**

**ultravioletpapercutsx: LOL you don't have serious issues. I do. LOL.**

**khfanficreviewer: sorry for making you wait D: I promise more suspense and action yet to come!**

**Sunset of Eternity: Unfortunate about Selphie, aye? I want to cover all teen problems in this fic :) And I agree. The school finally let me out! lol**

**Sozic: Again, sorry for the lateness :( A quicker update should be coming along though :)**

**Big Fan: Hooked major, huh? Hope you still are xP**

**DreamStation369: I always thought about what would happen if there were a real Hunger Games... I'd be the first one to die xD And yeah, I like to format it with either drama or humor at the end :P**

**DLC Girl: LOL**

**an1995616: Wow you're the only one who didn't call Aqua a bitch xD**

**Sookdeo: SORRY D: I'm going to update sooner next time! Promise! (No seriously I'm on break now. I can do it! :D) And I do like to injure them xD And it's Cloud. I'm sick of Sephy-kinz lol**

**Soreign21: Awee ty :3**

**Siy Rowling: Youch. Retaking math sounds like a nightmare to me- I hate it! I started out with a 44% and now its at 80% :P. **

**Pomegranata: I just got shot with a cheeseburger ray LOL**

**Terrian: Oh believe me. I'm WAY more dissapointed than you are xD. Do you have any idea how long it took me just to come up with a new name for the Hunger Ganes? I couldn't find one without disgracing the book. Starving Games? Thirsty Games? MAN, that was HELL. And I really don't like to put my own views in here- its the characters views. Teenagers are so confusing- I'd know -_-**

**Icetiger13: Hope you can keep waiting lol**

**noheartx: Thanks, I do my best to make him a serious idiot :P**

**Artism: In every story I read Aqua is always so innocent. I wanted to give her an edge in this one :P You'll find out why she's such a try-hard later on**

**TaylorrrStrife: OMG YES. I HAVE SO MUCH MERCHANDISE. I FREAKING LOVE THE HUNGER GAMES. PEETA FTW**

**DragoNik: youre like. the 15th one who called aqua a bitch lolz. **

**Tyjet Anatsu: Everyone really is hoping Cloud will die, aye? We'll see about that :P**

**XShiori-chanX: You'll find out why Aqua's such a try-hard in the next few chapters. It's really cheesy :P And yes. Hunger Games= LIFE**

**EternallySky: Awee don't worry. Math is actually really hard for me right now, but you can make it through. I started of with an 'F' in that class (which I didn't get. I'm actually really good at math) and now I'm getting an 'A' :) If I can boost up my mark, so can you :D**

**ChocoIsu: Lol no cookies, thanks. Watching my figure xD (I'm actually REALLY tiny. LOL)**

**xocherry: OH she said something like that about President Snow? I wasn't even at mockingjay when I wrote that line LOL**

**Transitions End: LOL thanks for sparing my life lol**

**moonlight-on-grass: Thank goodness you see it like an epic tv show. I thought I was the only one who noticed xD**

**NightFalcon26: Uh... Seifer? :P**

**Jared Someone: HEY. JARED. YOURE AWESOME. DID YOU KNOW THAT? NOTHING SPECIAL HAPPENS ON DEC 17 RITE? :P**

**Suzumiya Haruka: Lol yeah I'm alive xD Aqua isnt evil dont worry. You'll see why shes a try-hard later, promise :)**

**ShadowSpooky: LOL they're not really going to 'die'... maybe ;P**

**One sky one dream one destiny: Why do you hate CloTi D: **

**Chaoshime: Hm, I've heard alot about those books. What's Percy Jackson's books about...?**

**VickysOnFire: LOL Nah i dont have black ops... sadly :(**

**Well, I hope you all have Happy Holidays :) (Aliiteration omg D: yeah im an English nerd xD) Who knows? I might even update before then lol. Well again, the next chapter will be far better :) Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews, your support, and I love you all :) Please review- and I might even give you a new preview of my new story :D **

**Wow. This is the last time I get to update when I'm 14. LOL see you all when I'm 15 :P**

**xoKyorii**


	18. Hunger Royale Part II

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**OTHER:**

**Destatiian:** The ancient language spoken on Destiny Islands.

**Note:** _Destatiian in our world is Hawaiian. Lol._

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the song 'Aloha Oe' for it belongs to its rightful owners :) It's a really mood setting Hawaiian song and it deserves some praise so I'm adding it in here :) Yes... I got it from Lilo and Stitch :P I watched it again after like six years and got inspired again x) Nani's singing sorta... captivated me lol

_

* * *

_

**. Chapter XVIII .**

_**. Hunger Royale Part II- Farewell To Thee .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"There won't ever be a day when I won't love you."_

**Destiny Island, Small Islet, 2 years ago**

A young couple lay on a hammock on the beach, illuminated by tiki torches and the moonlight. They were alone, savoring each others embrace whilst listening to the soft waves crash on the shore. A pleasant breeze blew through their hair as they spent their night in silence. The boy sighed, stroking the soft, claret hair of his girlfriend. She slightly shivered as he whispered into her ear softly, "You know I don't want to do this..."

Kairi placed her delicate hands on Sora's chest, pushing herself up a little so she could gaze into his spellbinding, loving eyes, "It's unfair." He propped himself up and leaned closer to give her a soft, lingering kiss, "Life's unfair." Tears started to form in her oddly-coloured eyes. Sora found them to be the most beguiling thing he'd ever seen- they were a pale blue with a tint of purple. "Don't cry," He choked, "You'll make me cry. And I'm a guy, Kairi. Guys don't cry easy- it takes alot to make them cry emotionally."

Then it was silent for a few moments.

"We were stupid to think this would last forever." She started hammer-fisting his chest- it didn't hurt him in the slightest bit. What he felt in his heart was worse. "We're only teenagers," The girl of his affection sobbed, "We don't know anything about love! We're too young! You know there's only a three percent chance that high school relationships last? !" He tried calming her down by placing her head on the crook of his neck and stroking her back. It was working gradually. "Who says this has to end?" He whispered, "It doesn't have to end. Stop with the negativity, Kairi. I chose you because there was something about you that I knew would last."

She stopped moving.

"I'll never get tired of you," He continued, "I miss you even when you're beside me. I'm not sure you feel the same way, but when we're apart... God, this is about to get really cheesy, but... in my heart I know you're still there. You're not really gone. Our hearts are... kinda connected." Kairi remained silent except for her soft sniffles. Then it was just silent. Just the crashing of the waves and the whispers of the wind.

"I can hear it," She suddenly said. "What?" Sora asked, barely audible. "Our heartbeats. They're the same," She replied while snuggling closer to him. He chuckled and gave her his famous 'told you so' smirk as he took her by the waist and lifted her to look at him. He gave her another kiss- it lasted longer than the other.

"I promise you, Kairi Lovelock, that even when I leave," He then took a random exotic flower from the sand below and placed it in her hair, "There won't ever be a day when I won't love you." The yellow flower complimented the sundress she wore, making her look more radiant than before in Sora's eyes. She then crashed her lips onto his and cupped his cheeks, engraving the feel of his lips onto hers. Kairi was the first to break the kiss- she needed air. Sora propped himself up into a sitting position as did Kairi. She sat in between his legs and lay her back on his chest, his hands snaking around her waist. He kissed her cheek and held her hand, resting his head on her bare shoulder.

"You really don't know what its like," He then turned serious, "To have your parents fighting all the time... I knew they wouldn't last for long. What they have... isn't what we have. We'll never make their mistake."

"Who did you choose?" Kairi asked. "My father," Sora replied, though his voice began to get squeaky, "Roxas is going with my mom to live in Twilight Town. I'm moving to Palumpolum with my dad." Kairi could feel the intensity of his sadness in his voice and in the aura that surrounded him. It was the first time she had ever seen him so broken. So lost. "Baby, it's okay..."

"I don't want to leave you," He croaked, "I know it hasn't been long, but Kairi... you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You, Kairi Lovelock, my best friend, my girlfriend, my lover, Kairi. You're the only one who understands me, who can show me light even in the deepest depths of darkness. Kairi, I love you so much it hurts..." She clutched her chest to ease the pain- it was no doubt Sora was speaking out of honesty, purity and truth. The hot tears that rolled down from his face (and now on her back) as well as the beat of his heart was enough of an answer for her.

"I know I'm only barely sixteen," Sora snuffled, "But I'm old enough to know that you make me feel different from any other girl I've met. Huh... three percent chance that teenage relationships last... tch, even if it were a one in a million chance, there would be no doubt... I will beat those odds. Just for you." Soon enough, Kairi began crying too, "Wh-When do you leave...?"

"Summer school ends in a week. The instant it ends. The instant the school dance ends." Sora began to regain himself, "Just remember- I'm a text away. Don't hesitate. Just pick up the phone when I call you everyday, reply to my messages when I send one to you. I'll visit as often as I can." She gripped his hand tighter, "No doubt. I love you, Sora. I truly do... you've been there for me... everytime I needed you. We've been through so much together..." _Yes... my grandmother's funeral, your parents divorce, the pressure of school, love, Seifer... we've been through it all..._

He didn't reply after a few minutes. When he did, he also began to sing a Destatiian song in a hauntingly beautiful voice. "Aloha 'oe-"

"Don't," Kairi pleaded, "You're going to make me cry again." She already knew the song- in fact, she was the one who taught it to him when she first told him she knew how to play the ukulele. Sora ignored her and continued to sing. He knew her grandmother used to sing it to her as a lullaby when she was younger- it comforted her in the saddest of times.

A_loha 'oe, aloha 'oe (farewell to thee, farewell to thee)_  
_E ke onaona noho i ka lipo (The charming one who dwells in the shaded bowers)_  
_One fond embrace,_  
_A ho 'i a 'e au ('Ere I depart)_  
_Until we meet again..._

_

* * *

_

**Present Day, Hunger Royale Day One**

Sora felt as if he was following a pink blob. His chest was heaving so heavily that he couldn't even contain his exasperated groans. His vision was so hazy that he couldn't even make out the _thing_ in front of him. He had been running behind this _thing_ for about two hours nonstop. "Sora. Sora? Hey."

It could talk?

With a splash of water to the face, his senses came back to him. His surroundings were crystal clear. He was in a dark, dirty, abandoned city only lit by bright neon lights and the _thing_ in front of him was Lightning, grasping a gunblade in her right hand. The odds were definitely in her favour- it was like the duffel bag she took was intended for her with a "pick this one Lightning!' sign on it. He took a look at his duffel bag and groaned- it was pretty heavy and his muscles were getting really sore.

Lightning sensed that he needed a breather and ordered him to hide by a nearby alley. The buildings couldn't be trusted. They looked warm, welcoming and pretty on the outside, but on the inside could be hell waiting to be unleashed. Sora collapsed and leaned against a wall, breathing heavily. He ripped off his sleeves, exposing his well-toned muscles. Now his tunic was like a t-shirt. Lightning scolded him, "That wasn't a very good idea."

"Easy for you to say," He scoffed, "You're in a tank top and mini skirt. If you haven't noticed, it's _hot_. We've been running for an hour and a half and we're nowhere near the edge of the arena- care to tell me what the deal is? Why are you helping me?" The soldier placed a hand on her hip, "We don't have time to discuss this." Sora crossed his arms, "Forget the opponents, Light. We're not really going to die. We can take them, anyway. Cut the crap- what are you hiding?" Her eyes curved into a frown, "Well aren't you impatient." He mirrored her face, "I wouldn't be if you told me what was going on two hours ago."

"Sora," She sighed, then did the most unexpected thing. She kneeled down and took his hands within hers. _She's not coming onto me is she? _Sora gulped with fear, feeling as if he was betraying his own cousin. "I want to protect you." She said while ruffling his hair. _Damn it all, she is coming onto me!_ Sora flinched and pressed himself more against the wall, "Light-"

"I promised to keep you safe last time, and I failed. I can't fail you this time." Her cold eyes looked into his intensely, "I'm a sergeant back in Bodhum. I've failed trying to save my comrades many times, and I regret it all, but I regret failing you most of all. You have so much determination, so much power- it's unbearable to see that destroyed. You try so hard and you have Cloud to stomp all over you with his lies..." She clenched her fists, unsure of what to say next, "Sora, do you have an older sister?"

He shook his head, then began to understand her message. She wasn't coming onto him at all- she was just trying to look out for him like an older sister. He chuckled at his earlier assumption, "No, I don't. But... technically, I do. She's standing right in front of me." She smiled for a split second then returned to her emotionless demeanor, "You tell no one we had this conversation, got it?" Sora saluted, "Got it, sis. Not even Hope?" She growled, "_Especially_ Hope. I don't want him thinking you're going to steal me away from his training."

"Are you sure that's why?" He said playfully, trying to make her confess more. She was about to say something then noticed a camera in the small corner of the alley. Her jaw dropped- she had forgotten they were being broadcasted all over the island. What pissed her off more was that Sora knew this, "You son of a-" Sora's eyes widened, "Light-" She interrupted him, "No, come here. Let me show you what it feels like to get beat by your older sister."

"Light!" Sora squeaked, pointing behind her. The instant she spun her head around she was knocked aside by a slithery silver arm. She fell on her side, losing grip of her gunblade. Before the two were ten silver creatures with slithery arms and legs with no face. They all had similar patterns on their heads- patterns Sora could recognize. Before they were let into the arena he remembered the instruction woman saying something about what kind of opponents they would face other than themselves. She said those with an odd silver symbol were called nobodies. Sora quickly put on a pair of transparent goggles that everyone was provided with and clicked a button on the side. The lenses soon became a screen that analyzed the creature in front of him.

"Dusks," He whispered, reading off the screen, "Weakness... weakness... where the hell are the weaknesses? How do you work this thing?"

"Who cares?" Lightning was already up on her feet and slashing mindlessly at the dusks, "Just kill them! Find a weapon in your duffel bag!" Sora scurried away and did what he was told. He began to search his duffel bag but couldn't find any killing tools. Besides the basics (bandages, food etc), he only found a small gadget. _This is my weapon?_ He sweatdropped, "Great. Light! Uh, I don't have a-" Then he heard a deep, piercing cry.

* * *

Hope ran as if he had just seen Snow naked before his eyes. He had only one goal- to survive. Surely if he won the competition (which even _he_ thought was highly unlikely) he could easily impress Lightning or Vanille. Problem was he was scared beyond belief. Each step he took could lead him to death- each sound he made could make him the next target. Even though he wasn't really going to die, he hadn't been more scared in his life. He whizzed past the trees with a tranquilizer gun in hand, stopping to take a break under the roots of a tree. He took slow sips from his water bottle and began to relax until he heard a twig snap from behind him. Well... he thought it was a twig. He heard another snap then a sickening death cry. He squeezed his eyes shut as he heard the cannon- someone behind him just died. _Please don't be Fang, _Quite frankly the young woman scared the crap out of him, _Please don't be Fang, please don't be Fang..._

"Well that was quite a swift kill, yeah?" Said a voice heavily coated with a Pulsian accent._ Fuck it's Fang!_ Hope froze and held his breath, hoping she wouldn't be able to find him. He suddenly felt the urge to use the washroom.

"You all right there?"

He covered his mouth then realized she wasn't speaking to him. She had a partner with her. Smart choice. Fang, with all her hunting experience on Pulse, probably had the highest chance of winning the competition. Now, who was this smart ally of Fangs? "I'm fine, thanks!" Came the bubbly reply. Hope groaned. Of course. Vanille. He was screwed. Fang never liked it when he attempted to flirt with Vanille (which was probably what he'd try to do if they were alone). At least Lightning would protect him from her fury. _But Light's not here right now..._ He clenched his fist,_ Where could she be? I hope she's all right..._ His knuckle cracked and he squeaked. It was dead silent. _Fang totally heard that._

"Hello baby boy." She was quicker than he thought. Although he had his eyes shut he knew Fang was now hovering above him with a smirk- she was the only one who called him baby boy. "Hope!" Vanille cheered and pulled him out of the tree root, "You're still alive?" He glowered at her, "Thanks for the support, Vanille." Fang then confiscated his tranquilizer gun, "And this is why. You got lucky didn't ya kid?" He hesitated a nod.

Hope shut his eyes and heard a masculine cry echo through the trees. It wasn't his. "Who was that?" Vanille asked innocently. Fang shrugged, "Dunno, but I say we go find out. More fresh bait!" The older Pulsian woman began running towards the direction of the scream whilst doing an aboriginal battle cry. Hope twitched, "She's pretty scary when she's mad." Vanille giggled, "Silly, that's her when she's happy." He shrugged and created an alliance with the two Pulsian hunters. With them around, he would be safe. At least safe enough to advance in the competition. _Something doesn't feel right._

"Hope, you coming?" Vanille asked with her hands on her hips. Hope nodded and followed her briefly, _That scream sounded an awful lot like..._

x

Xion walked on the shoreline attentively with her cutlass in hand and her duffel bag set across her shoulder. It was a shame she had to kill people in such a beautiful place. Past the city and the forest was the edge of the arena- a beach. It was the first time she had seen a place so calm and so quiet. In Twilight Town, she lived the city life with constant ruckus and in the Hikari household- let's face it, when was her household ever _not_ chaotic?

The beach she arrived at was odd, though. While the rest of the arena was set as night time, the beach was a peachy sunset. She lost herself for a few seconds watching it then heard a few footsteps behind her. She quickly turned herself around and brought up her cutlass to find its edge near Sora's throat. Her legs shook as did her arm. Xion was fast, but she was dead scared. Now that the man of her affections stood before her, she was heartbroken and scared. Worst combination for survival.

Sora raised his hands defensively and chuckled, "You're fast."

She blushed and lowered her weapon, "Thanks." Sora seemed harmless- _too _harmless. All this time on the island he would push her away- he never smiled at her until now. He had no duffel bag, no weapon. Something didn't seem right. He took her hand in his and looked her in the eyes. _Kay this is SO a dream._ Dream. She looked deeply into his and noticed they weren't blue- they were a deep, blood red. She remembered the instructor woman saying that everything in the arena may or may not be what it seemed. Nothing could be trusted. "You're not Sora," She suddenly said, "You're an-"

Said 'Sora' then kissed her- to the naked eye, it was passionate. In reality, Xion didn't feel a thing. It was if thin air had just kissed her lips. "Illusion," She whispered as he pulled away.

"Xion?" Asked a disbelieving voice behind her. Still in Sora's arms, she turned around to find Riku standing before her, dropping the keyblade he had onto the soft sand. "Riku!" She exclaimed, trying to pry herself free from the illusion. Before Riku could truly see Sora's eyes, he threw and pierced him with a dagger he had in his pocket. He screamed and disintegrated into thin air. Only Xion recognized it, but a cannon didn't fire.

Her best friend's heart was smashed into a billion pieces. He could no longer breath properly. In that instant, he turned into a merciless being. "What the hell, Xion? !" This Riku was real- no illusion. She was sure of it. By the intensity in his eyes, she could tell.

"Riku, you don't understa-"

"Don't give me that!" His voice was raised to the maximum and could easily attract any nearby players- he didn't seem to mind, "After everything he's done to you-" Tears began forming in her eyes, "Riku, please! Give me a chance to-" He seized her by the shoulders and shook her, "He's not the one that loves you! He loves Kairi! He's hurt you so much I want to kill him for it! Why do you love him so much? ! How many times do you think those lips have been on Kairi's, huh? ! He's playing with your feelings! Why... why would you do this? ! He's treated you so unfairly... made you so blind!" Xion began to cry. 5 minutes ago she was just enjoying a beautiful sunset. She suddenly thought of Roxas and how comforting his smile was. She needed it now more than ever.

"Don't you understand?" He said weakly, letting his hands fall to his hips. She had never seen him so broken before. "Xion, I lo-"

Before he finished, an arrow pierced through his head and disintegrated him. A cannon fired. Yes, that Riku was real. Xion tilted her head towards the arrow's direction and saw that it came from the forest. Before she could wonder who it came from she quickly plunged herself into the water, knowing that she was within the shooter's range and was next. She swam away as far as possible until she ran out of breath, raising her head towards the surface. She was about twenty five meters away from the shore, but it wasn't enough to escape.

Kairi stood in between the sand and water with a bow in one hand, using her other hand to take an arrow from her quiver. Before Xion could plop herself back down into the water, she saw Kairi whisper something with tears falling from her face until she released her arrow. It was a perfect shot. Xion vanished into the air and a cannon was fired.

* * *

It took awhile for Sora to register that the masculine scream he just heard was his. The dusk that nearly sliced his arm did not touch him- instead, it slashed Lightning across the stomach. She slowly began to disintegrate, slashing the dusk one last time for falling on her knees. Sora kneeled down to her level and listened to her final words of advice as the dusks cautiously approached him. "You better win," She said bitterly, "I didn't give you that heartfelt speech for nothing, Hikari."

"It wasn't for nothing," Sora gave her a look that appreciated her sacrifice, "I'm going to make it worth something." She smirked before vanishing into thin air, her voice echoing through the walls as she finally said, "Protect Hope, and remember the objective of our pact." Sora cracked his knuckles and smirked, feeling as if Lightning's energy had somehow transferred onto him. _Destroy Cloud Strife._

He picked up her gunblade and formed his stance, ready to pounce and slash at any second. A dusk slithered to him from the right and just as he was about to dice it in two, a blood red double-ended spear had pierced through the dusk's head. As it fell to the ground, Sora identified his rescuer.

"Well I couldn't let you have all the fun now, could I?"

_Fang, _Sora grinned, "The creepy Pulsian chick from Hope's house- been awhile. Does Hope happen to be with you?" A dart filled with a venom like substance shot another dusk through the head. It fell with a thud and was instantly knocked out. "Woo! Headshot!" Hope cheered, tossing his gun into the air and failing to catch it as it fell. Vanille skipped behind him, swinging her fishing rod around to entangle her enemies within its deadly grip. The remaining dusks disappeared, keeping the three safe from harm.

"Thanks for stealing my spotlight." Sora sheathed his gunblade with a playful smirk, "I was perfectly capable of handling that myself."

"I see that." Fang noticed the mess he had made on the floor- all the contents from his duffel bag were scattered. He surely panicked. "_Two_ duffel bags?" Vanille pointed out, "Who was with you earlier?" Hope could still smell her sweet scent in the air, "Lightning."

x

**Somewhere on the resort**

Lightning desperately scratched the back of her burning ear, "Huh, someone must be talking about me."

* * *

**Back in the arena**

Fang twitched, "And you know this how...?" Hope pointed at his nose. Sora shivered, "You're going to be labeled a creeper if you keep that up." Vanille, on the other hand, felt a little jealous.

"Well then," Fang rubbed her hands together, "What weapon did _you_ get?" Sora rubbed the back of his head gingerly and brought out the gadget that was supposed to be his weapon, "I honestly have no idea what it does." Hope hoisted the duffel bags onto his back and began to walk in a different direction, "We'll find out as we get a move on. We can't stay in one spot. We can also find you a new weapon. I heard a bunch of cannons go off- there should be tons lying around." Vanille approved, "Smart thinking, Hope!" He blushed.

"Baby boy's right," Fang ruffled his hair as if she were a father proud of his son, "Let's move and get you a weapon. You won't last very long with that gunblade you're inexperienced with." Sora took a little offense that Fang doubted his fighting skills but knew she was probably right. He needed something lighter to travel with. He took a step forward and the ground began to shake, crumbling underneath his feet. His teammates were trying to keep themselves balanced just as he was. "What's going on?" Hope was the first to begin panicking. Sora was the calmest- he knew exactly what was happening.

_So this is why Light told me it was a bad idea to rip off my sleeves,_ Sora watched as the downtown atmosphere suddenly morphed into a temple made entirely of ice. Vanille and Hope slipped, landing on their butts. Sora and the girls began to shiver. Hope did not- he still had his sleeves on.

"W-Well this is rather interesting." Fang said through chattering teeth. Sora began to peer through another corridor, checking for any enemies. He spotted one trying to find their way across the map, but it wasn't just any ordinary enemy. It was one of his greatest enemies. His fists clenched in anger, his heart burning with new determination. Seifer.

_Yes, _Sora growled, _Yes it is, Fang._

x

_Do it man, just do it... be a man, Ventus. You can do this. You've never had problems asking her to hang out before! She's your best friend! Just... just be a man and tell her! _

"Ventus, what are you doing?" Roxas asked, walking into the quiet (for once) beach house. His look alike was pacing back in forth in front of the editing room, most likely trying to get Aqua's attention but was too afraid to do so. Ventus scratched the back of his head gingerly, "Ahaha, back so soon, Roxas? I saw the replay of you dying earlier. Pretty funny." The blond gave him a sour look, "Ha ha. At least I'm not pacing back and forth, too scared to talk to a _girl_. For Maker's sake she's your _best friend_ Ventus. What's wro-" Roxas' lips then formed a sly smile. Ventus gulped.

"I see what's going on here," Roxas said in a sing-song voice, "A little bit of cliche best friend lover drama I see?" The clone raised his hands defensively, "I-I-"

_Knock knock knock_

Ventus gave Roxas the inappropriate finger as he snickered away and snuck upstairs to find his girlfriend. "Who is it?" Aqua's sweet yet demanding voice asked.

"A-Aqua, it's-"

"Venny!" She squealed, opening the door. She glomped him into a bear hug and pulled him inside the dark room. He was grateful for the darkness- that way, Aqua wouldn't suspect the pink tint on his cheeks. "I'm so glad you're here! I wanted to show you my new video! It's drama _gold_! We've got footage of Sora and Kairi fighting, then kissing, and Riku gazing at Xion from afar and-"

"Aqua?" Ventus asked, pulling on his collar for air. She frowned, "What's wrong? You seem uncomfortable. Maybe I should go open the win-"

"Let's go out."

She blinked, "What?" He coughed, "I-I mean, let's hang out. Just you and me. Best friends. Please?" Aqua's face saddened, "Ventus, I'd love to but-" His expression then mirrored hers, "I see... but Aqua, ever since we were assigned to this house, we've never really hung out." She was taken aback by his tone- did it really effect him this much? "Ven, we've been together everyday, filming and working-"

"That's not hanging out," He pouted, "That's work." She was at a loss for what to say, so he spoke for her, "Aqua, come on. Just one day. One day won't hurt, right? What does it matter if we make the cut for Teenage Wasteland or not? What we have is good enough. You're overworking yourself. You're starting to trade places with Olette. Even she's out there having fun with Hayner." She growled, "What does it matter? Ventus, this is our dream! We've failed all the other times- we have a great opportunity here! We can't just let it slip through our fingers!"

"You don't think... I know that already?" His face saddened even more, "What good is accomplishing something great if you can't have fun doing it? What comes first, Aqua? Work... or me? Remember Ventus? Your best friend?"

She sighed in defeat, running a hand through her hair, "You, of course. Let's make a compromise. I'll hang out with you- just not today. I'll hang out with you next week, but I promise that it's going to be extra special, deal?"

"Promise?"

"Promise."

He approved slowly, then grinned deviously, "All right. Sounds fair. _Extra special_? Next week? What are you so busy with?" He took her schedule book and began flipping through the pages.

"Wednesday, photoshoot with Pence," She began reciting out loud, "Thursday, we have to gather all the Hunger Royale footage- there's bound to be some good material in there. Friday, Battle of The Bands plus Sora and Roxas' birthday. Saturday, another photoshoot, Sunday, the sports challenge starts, Monday, the struggle match, Tuesday through Thursday are the beach photoshoots and interviews, Friday..."

"Friday, date with Ventus." He jotted down with a smirk.

"Wh-What?" She blushed madly, her heart nearly pounding out of her chest. "Great, it's a deal. Thanks Aqua." He left the room without another word. _In ya face, Roxie._

* * *

In her heart, she felt nothing but pain and betrayal. _It doesn't make sense,_ Her tears began to solidify in the cold atmosphere, _Why does it still affect me? We're not even committed to each other anymore! I've seen them kiss before... why does it all feel so new? It's the second time- he lied to me again! Is she the one he- it's not possible. It's not- stop thinking about it, Kairi! Augh! That no good, unfaithful son of a- get him out of your head! He's no good for you!_

"And how many times has _that_ run through your head?"

She turned around and found Axel standing before her, swinging a molotov cocktail in one hand. She hadn't really noticed (keeping her head down the whole time), but the scenery of the arena was actually quite beautiful. It was quiet and serene, too. She and Axel were at what looked like the icy gardens of the temple. Statues of ice guardians and ice flowers filled the area- even the fountain and stone flooring was made of pure ice. The slow falling of snow made it even more welcoming, but cold. Kairi couldn't tell the difference in temperature- she was numb from what she saw earlier. She had never seen snow before, but she was too depressed to appreciate its beauty at the moment. That, and it wasn't even real.

"Did I really say that out loud?" Kairi was too broken to even raise her weapon- Axel noticed. "Confusion and anger does that to people," He laughed, "Conclusion: Love makes you go crazy."

Heavy footsteps were heard from behind the crystal trees, then the unsheathing of a sword. Axel chucked the molotov about fifteen meters over to the source of the noise and shielded his eyes from the explosion. A cannon was fired. He acted like it was nothing, "So, why so sad Kairi? Something to do with Sora, I presume?"

"It's nothing." She began to walk in another direction. "Your tears beg to differ," He mocked.

"Why do you care, Axel?" She turned to face him with watery eyes, "We barely know each other... and you don't seem the type to deal with emotional girls."

He bursted out laughing, "Kairi, that's a sick joke. My girlfriend throws shit at me everyday, kisses me, then yells at me more and throws more shit. And she's _pregnant_. If anything, emotional girls are my specialty, go it memorized? Now lay it on me."

"I... I saw Sora kissing Xion." She murmured. Axel looked as if he had eaten a sour lemon, "Youch. Um. Right. _That's_ pretty fucked up, sorry. Are you sure?" As more tears fell, he took it as a yes. "I wouldn't be too sure," He crossed his arms, "I mean, he's here on the island to prove his-" He made air quotes with his fingers, "_Undying love_ for you, has never stopped loving you since you met and he'll suddenly kiss another girl? It doesn't add up."

"Well I saw it," She scowled, "And for some reason there's this pain in my chest every time I think about it... it shouldn't even be there! I'm worrying over some idiot kissing another girl when I already have a boyfriend! I feel so guilty. Cloud's so committed and I'm... not." Axel raised his hand, indicating her to stop talking. Silence. Then laughter. Gut-busting laughter, "Oh my GOSH. CLOUD? COMMITTED? THAT'S EVEN BETTER THAN THE EMOTIONAL GIRLS THING. HONEY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT ROXAS AND I SAW YOUR 'BOYFRIEND' SMOOCHING WITH-"

The ground began to crumble. _Is the arena changing again?_ The redheads wondered. They were wrong.

As the crumbling stopped, someone familiar stepped out of the icy forest looking impatient, "My, my, who knew it was such a hassle to find one little girl?"

"HER," Axel finished, pointing a finger at none other than Tifa Lockhart, "HE WAS KISSING _HER!_" Kairi's heart burned even more, "Wh-What? No! Axel, you have it all wrong! She's his ex-girlfriend!" Axel unsheathed the chakrams from his armour, "No, you have it all wrong, Kairi. That day we went to Cloud's house for dinner, he was getting it on with _this _girl." Tifa snarled at Kairi, "You have no idea how much I've wanted to do this to you." The poor girl started to shake as Tifa began tightening her leather gloves.

Tifa let out a battle cry- Axel and Kairi readied their weapons. As her fist made impact with the ground, it started to shake again. That must have been her weapon. Such a shame that it suited her perfectly. Kairi (though dizzy and shaky) released her arrow in Tifa's direction, but she was already behind her, ready to smack the back of her head at any second. _So fast,_ Kairi thought in shock.

Kairi ducked as Axel threw his chakrams towards Tifa. It would have been a perfect hit if it hadn't been for a giant shuriken that got in his way. The oversized ninja star made its way back to its owner like a boomerang. "Thanks Yuffie." Tifa got into another stance as her friend skipped next to her. Kairi gripped her stainless steal bow tighter, "I... I refuse to believe it. Why do you want to hurt me Tifa?"

"It all adds up," Axel spun his chakrams on his fingertips, "She's the one really dating Cloud and is jealous of you. I'm sorry." Kairi screamed in frustration and pulled another arrow from her quiver, "No! This isn't happening to me again! That's not true! Cloud's dating _me_! He's not lying! He loves ME!" Tifa growled and in a split second, she stood in front of Kairi, cracking her knuckles, "Listen. I was going to be nice about this, but I can't go any longer. You're stealing him away from me. I have a chance to obliterate you hypothetically, and I'm not letting that go to waste."

She turned her head, fearing the worst.

"He loves _me_."

Kairi knew that no matter what Tifa did, it wouldn't hurt as much as her heart did. She readied herself for the impact, but none came. Her body shook, as did her eyelids when she tried to open her eyes. She wasn't in the icy garden anymore with Axel, Tifa and Yuffie. The arena had changed yet again without her noticing. She was alone in a dark, tropical forest, illuminated by neon nature and fireflies. It was much hotter than before. She scurried away when she heard the sound of an animal growl. Her arrows couldn't do much to large animals. She continued to run, pushing lime green and pink leaves out of the way.

_"He loves me."_ Tifa had said.

_That's not true,_ Kairi's tears glowed a bright purple as they fell, _Cloud loves me. This isn't happening to me again. Cloud loves me- no one else._ Kairi couldn't even comprehend why she was even running anymore. Minutes had past and she found herself running through the same pattern over and over again. _I'm just running in circles... I'm running to seek comfort..._ Her knees felt week as she fell to the ground, her vision hazy from all the running she had done. She was badly dehydrated, too. She lay on her back, watching the fireflies and trees above her. She could even here a creek nearby. She was way too tired to get up and get water. Kairi decided that she was going to give up. She was too tired for survival. She couldn't do it herself. _This... is a good place to die... _

_**Aloha oe**_

She froze, digging her nails deeper. _I'm not hallucinating am I? That was... it couldn't be... _She waited, but no voice came. She sighed in relief, "I knew it. I was just imagi-"

_**Aloha oe**_

His haunting voice echoed through the trees and whispered with the wind. Kairi sat up in shock, searching for the bearer of the voice, "S-Sora?" Saying his name was like poison to her, but if he was playing some sick joke, she was going to kill him. Literally. "Sora!" She yelled, birds flying away in fear. She could care less if anyone found her. They could kill her for all she cared. She didn't want to hear his voice any longer.

**_E ke onaona noho_**

"Stop!" She cried. Soon she broke out into a sprint, covering her ears to refrain herself from hearing his voice. Although the song was supposed to be comforting, it brought nothing but nightmares and heartbreak to her.

_**I ka lipo...**_

"N-No!" _This is an illusion... yes, yes it has to be! No matter how far I run, the volume remains the same... this is... an illusion... i-it's not real. But it sure sounds... real... _"Make it stop!" She begged, falling to her knees again.

_**One soft embrace**_

___"There won't ever be a day when I won't love you."_

_**A ho 'i a 'e au **_

_You liar... _

_**Until we meet again...**_

_If only we had never met in the first place._

x

"Like, I don't get it. In the Hunger Games, they don't mention going to the washroom once. They seriously expect me to believe that they didn't take a piss even ONCE in the whole damn game?" Hayner flailed his arms around as he tried to make his point. Olette giggled beside him, "That is very true. I'm glad you took me here, Hayner. I know we're supposed to be all scared and trying to survive, but that doesn't matter. I'm having fun trying to kill people with you."

"How sweet," He mocked with sarcasm. They were silent for a bit, admiring each other secretly in the dark. The arena had changed three times and throughout their whole journey together, they (well, Olette) had only taken down Serah. Hayner couldn't do much with his cardboard box.

Olette's skin glowed a bright orange from the flower beside her, illuminating a suspicious orange looking light. Hayner slowly took the plant and placed it in her hair, "Y-You look nice. Orange suits you." Hayner could barely see the blush on her cheeks. She nodded briefly, "Thanks. But you know... this flower could be poisonous."

"Thanks for ruining the compliment!" Hayner huffed, "Selphie says people should cherish everything nice I do for them- I'm not very nice, you know." She disagreed with a laugh, "Are you kidding? Hayner, you've taken me on such a wild journey just to let me experience _fun_. _Actual_ fun. To be honest, I've never had this much fun in my whole life. If you ask me, this is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me." She enveloped him in a warm hug, "Thank you."

He tried not to jump for joey as he wrapped his arms around her nervously as well, "U-Uh, you're welcome." _Please let this last forever..._

_"N-No! Make it stop!"_

_Gee, thanks God._ Hayner rolled his eyes. Olette pulled away and loaded the crossbow in her hand. She searched for the direction of the voice, "Who was that? They seriously sound like they're in pain." More screams were herd from the east. "I's a girl," Hayner started running whilst pulling Olette by the wrist. He tripped over someone a minute later, sending he and Olette to the ground. She fell on top of him, getting off immediately as she noticed their suggestive position. Groaning beside them was Kairi, covering her eyes as she rocked back and forth on the ground.

"Poor baby," Olette uncovered her ears, "Kairi? Kairi, can you hear me?"

"Make him stop!" She yelled, attempting to cover her ears again. "Let's get her to the creek for some water." Hayner suggested as he scooped the frail girl into his arms, carrying her to the creek nearby with ease. Olette had to say she was quite impressed. Hayner looked quite scrawny with skinny arms, but he was surprisingly strong. That, and she remembered that Kairi was tiny.

By the creek they lay Kairi with a cold cloth over her head, letting her rest a bit. She awoke half an hour later, begging for water. "She seems alot better," Olette looked relieved, "She's not yelling for anything to stop anymore." Hayner watched in admiration as Olette treated Kairi, feeding her some food and water. It was like she was caring for a baby. So gentle. So caring. She'd make a great mom someday.

"How are you feeling?" Hayner asked, also trying to be supportive. "Better, thanks." She responded in a monotone voice, "Why didn't you just kill me and put me out of my misery?"

"Negative much?" Hayner frowned, "What's gotten into you?" Olette placed a hand behind Kairi's back and stroked it, "Looks like something's bothering you. Let it out. You can trust us." _Hayner trusted me with his Olette secret... _Kairi thought, _He deserves to know what happened. Plus, Olette is such a sweet girl... _She began with what she saw on the beach. Then spoke about her encounter with Tifa. She ended with how she ended up going crazy, blocking out Sora's voice. "I-I don't know why I'm freaking out about him so much... and I'd hate to admit this possibility, but I think... I think it's possible that I'm falling for him again..."

Olette sighed, "Dear Kairi, the only reason you would think of that possibility is because you've _already_ fallen for him." A paroxysm was felt in her chest as she bit her lip. She was guilty- that moment she knew it. She still wasn't over him.

**In the next chapter:**

_"Do you feel bad for lying to her?"_

_"I seriously do love Kairi."_

_"Oh my gosh Selphie... you're bulimic."_

_"Tell me the truth... is it true that... is it true that you're dating Tifa Lockhart?"_

_"I'm sorry, Lightning."_

_"And the winner of Hunger Royale is..."_

* * *

**I think I'm going to start adding more of the 'in the next chapter' spoiler thingies. It keeps you all intrigued :P And last time, it said that in this chapter it would say "Then kiss me you fool", but then I realized that was supposed to happen way later :S. My bad! But anyway, I know what got you all intrigued was the Xion thing. You all knew it wasn't possible, right? lol. I hope you're all satisfied with this very long chapter. 7,800 words! Woohoo! I thought I should incorporate the Hunger Games theme here a little. Haunting and packed with action, suspense and romance :P**

**But I am sad to inform you that the next chapter may be coming a little late because I have exams coming up for school. I've been crazy busy. I'm assigned 30 math questions everyday and have to write a speech for English that's worth fifteen percent of my grade. ****Yup, it's busy busy time at school! Plus I have this really formal party to go to tomorrow (Quincen... uh, I don't know how to spell it :P) and another party the next day. Party animal much? lol**

**And who here has seen Step Up 3D? Ohmygosh. I died. (insert heart here) Yes, I'm asian so I'm really into that breakdancing thing lol. ****Oh, and if you want to see what the Hunger Royale costumes look like, just send me a message and I'll send you the link. Sorry if I don't draw very well lol. **

**Now, okay, I have a confession to make. In the last few chapters, I've lost the inspiration to write Teenage Wasteland. It's a story based on purely summer, and since its winter here, it's hard to remember the summer feeling. But luckily, the inspiration returned to me and resulted in this chapter. I re-read this story from the very beginning and realized what a nice, solid story I've got going. It would be a shame to destroy it. I wanted to keep the magic alive. And speaking of magic, I went to the most magical place on earth for inspiration. Call me childish, but yes, over the break I went to Disneyworld, Florida for new years. Which reminds me, happy new years guys! lol**

**I went with my cousins from Maryland (which by the way are kickass. We played Dance Central on the xbox and I ROCKED ASS. (ahaha. rox-ass. lol -hides in corner-)- it was honestly the most amazing thing my eyes have ever seen. They disney castle, the fireworks... everything. I went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot. OMG Epcot. It's this place where you go through a bunch of different countries to experience their culture (and yes, it looks oh so very real) and it was AMAZING. I went through Japan (I freaked out of course. Lol), China, Mexico, Italy, Germany- and much more! But where I freaked out the most was Morocco. Guess who waved hi to me? ALADDIN. YES. ALADDIN WAVED AT ME WITH JASMINE. (I know they're not real. Calm down xD)**

**But my favourite part was that when he ran away hand in hand with Jasmine, I yelled out, "HEY ALADDIN, YOU SUCK IN KINGDOM HEARTS II!" (Yes I got this on tape) He didn't hear me, but I thought what I said was true xD He's pretty weak and useless lol. And kind of annoying in real life... I kept hearing "I can show you the world-" over and over again!**

**It totally gave me the Kingdom Hearts feel back. So now, with the new will to write, my chapters will start to get better again :) And now what I'm going to do is reply to your amazing reviews :D! But before I do so, I'd like to remind you all to tell me how your holidays went :P**

**ChuckleBunny: Whoa, I haven't seen your username in the longest name! Yes I remember it- it was cute :3 But I'm glad you're reviewing again! So, yeah, I know I'm lucky right? I didn't even have to wait for Mockingjay! ;D But now what I CANNOT wait for is the movie. OMG I want it to be released SO BADLY. I WANNA SEE IT AND FREAK OUT. I swear if it's not good I'm putting the producing staff in their own little Hunger Games to kill each other LOL. But honestly. I will be the first one in the theatre, flipping through pages of the book at the same time to see if they missed anything.**

**moonlight-on-grass: Wow, you're one of the few who actually caught that Selphie thing :P Good, because I thought I made it obvious enough lol. And yes, Hayner's the reason she's doing that. He's about to get it real bad. Shh... ;P And yes I'm only fifteen... LOL**

**sashu: Sure, I'll meet your favourite knife lol. And what was it that no one would get the real meaning of? I got kind of lost reading that, sorry :P And kimi no kioku- who's it by? I'll check it out, sure :D and LOL nice comment with the Cloud burn there. Maybe I should have Sora shoot him... would you like that? xD**

**ChocoIsu: Augh, I hate it when life is being life -_- And awe, its so nice knowing I made someone's day even though I'm not physically there :3 And a cardboard box can be used for many things- many 'romantic things'- oh SNAP. I just gave you a spoiler. SHH. lol**

**ultravioletpapercutsx: I'm trying not to make it as funny now for the next little bit. The Hunger Games was so serious but I wanted to add it in so bad! But you know me. There has to be humor or its not xoKyorii lol. And thanks :D And awee, nice to know youre trying out new things because of me! (insert tears here) And yeah, well, I'm TRYING to get over him. I mostly am, but I realized that when I try to give him hell everyday, it still showed that I cared for him a little bit. Now, I seriously have to get him out of my life which I'm so DETERMINED to do ;D**

**Stargazer-Aika: Kyorii-chan :3 that's cute. I like it :D**

**TaylorrrStrife: Awee it's okay I'm at least glad you wished me a happy birthday :3 and DAMN you're good! You're the only one who thought that it could be an illusion! ;D**

**One Sky One Dream One Destiny: Lol, I'm sorry Lightning can't win now... xD And I do have to admit Zack and Tifa make a cute couple :$**

**Dark White Night: I KNOW! D: I killed my favourite Kingdom Hearts character! And yes, you're really not the only one xP**

**Craxuan: LOL. I'd consider Cloud the lucky bastard in a non homo way.**

**Artism: omg i know. I totally get those 'dont push button' moments. Like once I was on this boat that said 'No pretend ninjas allowed', so I pretended to act like a ninja for kicks just to see what would happen and I actually got kicked off LOLOL**

**CupcakeLerman: Awe thanks :3 AND LOLOLOL. OMG "It always ends with Sora kissing himself." OMG LOL. I LOVE YOU. SORRY IF THAT FREAKED YOU OUT, BUT HONESTLY. THAT WAS GOLD.**

**MHplayer749: Thanks for the birthday wish :) And what's the book about?**

**Dreamstation365: Awee, I love cookies :D Thanks! And thanks for the birthday wish :3 And you should try eternal sonata FOR SURE! It's only 20 bucks now :D**

**Tyjet Anatsu: It can't be xoKyorii without kanji ;D**

**SoraHikariKokoro: YOUCH. HATE KAIRI MORE THAN MATH? That's deep, man. And I'm SO SORRY I didn't update during the break D: Breaks my heart to know you were anxiously waiting :S And really? Nothing negative about this story? That's so sweet! (insert tears here) And omg. I scream everytime Simple and Clean every time I hear it. And it played in this hotel when all my friends were asleep. They all thought someone was molesting me LOL**

**SillySally: LOL. And thank goodness you like the arena. I had trouble picking one everyone would like to start off with :S And the reason I killed Roxas was because he's way too good xD Handsome, musician, intelligent- to have him survive for so long was just way too much :P **

**DragoNik: Well if you don't remember, Kairi wants to shove Sora's balls up his mouth because he kissed another girl when they were dating. Wow, nice explanation I had there xD And yes, HE WAS AND STILL IS A TOTAL ASS. I'm so glad he's moving. Thanks goodness that's over with. And even when my mom told him off he's still trying to talk to me -_- idiot really wants to die, huh?**

**Sozic: Thanks for the birthday wish ;3**

**ShadowSpooky: Yeah, I didn't want to put too many references since some of my readers haven't read it yet :S So I lessened it and just put the objective- is it crystal clear?**

**Suzumiya Haruka: LOL OMG LMFAO YOU ACTUALLY CAUGHT THAT? I was listening to 'Just The Way You Are' when I wrote that line LOL I NEVER THOUGHT ANYONE WOULD NOTICE. Now, quite frankly I hate that song because it reminds me of my stupid ex. And I feel your friends pain. And thanks for the bdaii wish ;D**

**xocherry: awee thanks, I need all the help I can get with the drama. I think there's a new guy involved anyway :3 way cuter. my age, too :P he's real nice. I was crying during a football game once (someone just made me really sad) and he tried cheering me up even though he barely knew me :3 What a sweetie :P And oh snap. Cake with Sora, Roxas AND Axel? I'm not eating that beauty. LOL. And WTF? Seriously? xbox in school? -dies-**

**Transitions End: Holidays are fun aren't they? Funtimes :) How was yours?**

**VickysOnFire: LOL I'm glad at least one person thinks the cardboard box is sexy. And nice to know my fanfics help you fall asleep...? lol -decides whether to take offense or not- And thanks for the birthday wish! :D And I would get the game if you told me what it was about... :P**

**EternallySky: Oh, the drama in my family is barely english. You know my mom's serious when she starts speaking our foreign language, and she was yelling at him in that language xD So yeah, she was pissed and I am oh so very proud of my mommy :3**

**Swordbearer: Well, in a nutshell, the hunger games is about a bunch of teenagers put into an arena to kill each other. Fun right? xD No one expects a little asian girl like myself to be obsessed with it xP And you played eternal sonata? The ending almost made me cry! It was beautiful T-T And I'm so glad the main characters kissed. Honestly, in almost every RPG I play the main characters don't even kiss after the whole entire journey. Example, Kingdom Hearts. Sora needs to grow some balls and scoop her in his arms and kiss her already. Sorry for the spaz xD**

**Jared Someone: Jared you sweetie pie ! :3 I loved your birthday fanfic. So cute! I love the mentally retarded line the best xD And soon enough, I'll have to write you anoter bdaii fanfic! I must go on msn soontimes. I need t discuss some important fan matters with you :P**

**Well, y'all know the drill from here! Thanks for all your support, seriously. I'm so grateful. It's like you guys are with me as I grow as a writer and as a human being. Thank you SO SO MUCH. Please review, sorry for any grammar errors and I love you all !**

**xoKyorii**


	19. Hunger Royale Finale

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

* * *

**. Chapter XIX .**

_**. Hunger Royale Finale- This Is Real .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"Sora's actually... dead."_

"Damn that guy..." Whilst Sora was getting impatient, his three subordinates decided to start a fire behind him. With all the lights radiating from the jungle, the fire wouldn't attract too much attention. _The arena's changed three times and I still haven't found Seifer or Cloud... more importantly, I haven't even found Kairi. _Sora dramatically placed his calloused hands into his pockets with a heavy sigh. He stood atop the edge of a cliff with a perfect view of the chromatic boscage.

The wilderness was neverending- it stretched on for miles. He could hear all sorts of living creatures as well as occasional screams from people he knew. He listened more closely, hoping one of the noises could lead him to either Seifer, Cloud or Kairi. He was leaning more towards Kairi, though. Was she okay? Was she even alive?

"Whoa, it's so pretty!" Vanille squealed, pointing at the starry night sky. Rising from the ground were oversized dandelions that glowed various colours, being brighter than stars in the sky itself. The young Oerban was about to take one into her hands but was stopped by Hope, "Don't. For all we know, its a trap."

"But they're everywhere," She cooed, "There's no way anyone could dodge them all. They're so harmless and gorgeous..."

Hope inwardly grinned as the girl of his affections watched the scene in awe. Sora extended his hand out in hopes that a dandelion would find its way into his now shaking hands. How long had they been in the arena? Eight hours at _least_. It was probably way longer than that. He hadn't noticed how tired he was until a dandelion gently made its way onto his palm. They appeared to be light as a feather, which they were, but Sora was so tired from running and fighting that a measly dandelion felt as heavy as a brick.

But he had no time to rest.

_The instant I close my eyes and drift to sleep, Kairi could get harmed,_ Sora ran that fact over and over in his head until his morale had been restored. He clasped his hand shut at the thought of Kairi getting hurt, crushing the dandelion in his palm. It disappeared into a series of smaller glowing circles, floating into the air. It was truly a magnificent sight to see.

"This looks just like Pulse," Even Fang, the deadliest warrior, was mesmerized by its beauty. Sora suddenly raised his head in realization. The beauty- it was too good to be true! There had to be something wrong with them. The hand he had clasped suddenly began to burn. He flailed it around in hopes that the fire would extinguish.

"What's he doing?" Hope asked in curiosity. In his perspective (as well as Vanille and Fang), Sora was just acting like an idiot, fluctuating his arms around.

"Make the fire go away!" He pleaded. Fang raised her sharp brows, "Fire? You all right, kid?" Vanille covered her mouth in shock, "Oh! Those dandelions... he's hallucinating!"

Hope panicked, "What do we do?" Fang cracked her knuckles and approached the crazy looking boy, "First off, don't touch the deadly dandelions. And second..." She cleared her throat before slapping him right across the face. Hope and Vanille winced- that was going to leave a mark. On the bright side, Sora did stop complaining about the non-existant fire. In fact, he was dead silent and frozen with his eyes glued onto the rocky surface of the cliff. Fang tried waving her hands in his face to get his attention but all he did was continue to stare at the gravel below him.

_Sora! Sora, help me! Please! _

Kairi's voice rung heavily in his ears. His fists clenched. _Sora!_ She was begging for his presence regardless of her hatred- she must've really been in trouble. _I-It's Seifer! Save me, please!_ Now _this _made him raise his head. Fang backed away in fear- Hope and Vanille had never seen her so frightened. Sora must have been serious with the eerie air radiating from his tense figure.

"I have to save Kairi." He said through gritted teeth and sheathed furious eyes. He began to make his way towards the exit of the cliff.

"I know," Hope slowly raised himself from his crouching position, "We're trying our best to find her, Sora." He shook his head, "Can't you hear her screaming, Hope?" Vanille moaned, "Your slap in the face didn't work, Fang! He's still delusional!" Fang hopelessly watched him leave. His body looked as if it were possesed. She sighed and handed him his duffel bag and gunblade, "Be careful."

"What are you doing? !" Hope outstretched his arms and placed himself ahead of Sora, "You can't just let him leave on his own! He'll be scarred for life!"

Sora proceeded in taking the things Fang had offered him. She smirked, "Honestly, I think its better this way. Just look at him. He's a killing machine right now. We don't have to listen to him whine about Kairi anymore! I think this is the best way to end our alliance. We'll all just end up killing each other in the end. We should say goodbye before the bond grows unbearable to break, yeah?"

Hope groaned and slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, "So we'll all say goodbye?" Vanille groaned, "And just when I thought we'd finally get a good rest..." Fang ruffled her pigtails, "The quicker we split up, the faster we get out of this arena." Sora paid no mind to their formalities and began to sprint down. But before he completely disappeared into the shadows, Fang called out to him. He turned around only to catch the gadget that was supposed to be his weapon.

"Before you leave," She clicked a button on the device, "You should probably know how useful this weapon of yours is."

x

"Well what do you know. My cardboard box actually came in handy." Where Olette and Hayner were, rain was falling relentlessly. Kairi had already left them, muttering something about decapitating Sora. Now the two were left alone on the edge of the creek, cuddling under a cardboard box. Their closeness made Hayner blush, and vice versa. But luckily, the lighting wasn't very good under there. "You know, this isn't going to last very long," Olette poked the top of the box, "The box will just get all saggy."

"It's better than nothing," He negotiated, "Plus, I've been examining the arena. It changes approximately every three hours... so, it's 7:59pm right now. The arena should be changing right about..."

As predicted, the ground began to shake and the jungle around them diminished. He smirked and whispered in her ear, "Told you." She shivered at the huskiness of his voice. As he lifted the box over their heads, it immediately went flying into the air. Both watched in shock as the box did not go into the sky- it went towards a merry-go-round. "Merry go round in the sky?" Hayner stumbled, "It's official. The gamemakers were drunk when they made this arena."

Olette took a step forward and opened her eyes wide in realization. They were in an amusement park, but its pathways were all over the place. It was much like a labyrinth. There were pathways that went upside down, up through walls... how they were going to figure a way out was beyond her. But nonetheless, she rubbed her hands together in excitement, "A puzzle, huh? That's their game? This arena was made for me."

As Olette broke into an excited sprint, Hayner sighed and followed closely behind, "Where do you plan on going?" Olette responded without turning around, "Anywhere." And that's when she spun herself around to grab his wrist, _As long as its with you._

* * *

_"They were so bright and I bet y-you could see them for miles... they, ow, reminded me of you... so... **radiant** and... beautiful. They lit up th-the whole night sky, like you light up my soul e-everytime I see you..."_

_Am I really... not over you?_ Kairi grit her teeth at the memory of her and Sora at the Leadenstrike race. His words matched the situation she was in so much- bright dandelions filled the sky and were, as Sora said in her mind, 'radiant and beautiful'. She crushed the giant purple dandelion in her hand and tossed it aside.

The ground began to shake, meaning the arena was going to shake again. At the same time, Kairi's hand felt as if it were burning. _Am I hallucinating? _She asked herself. Which, in fairness, was a possibility. She was in an amusement park that was upside down. The sky was blood red and the air had a sinister feeling to it. She began to panick even more as she heard footsteps approach her from behind.

"Phew, I'm so glad we don't have to deal with that hallucinating nonsense anymore."

_Hope? _Kairi spun herself around and made out two figures- one with white hair (she was dead on about Hope) and a red-head with pigtails (her name escaped her... Chocolate, or something? Strawberry? She remembered it sounded like an ice cream flavour...).

"Vanille, look." Hope pointed in her direction. _Oh... Vanille. Right. _Kairi continued to wave her hand around. Vanille sweatdropped, "Not again." Immitating Fang (although Hope knew his cousin would kill him for doing this), Hope readied himself to slap her across the face but couldn't bring himself to actually do it. Vanille did it instead, calming down the panicking Kairi. When she could finally stand properly, she thanked the two.

"Uh, where's..." _What's her name? The scary one with the dark hair... _"Claw?" Hope sweatdropped, "Close. It's Fang." The claret head scratched the back of her head gingerly, "Haha, right. Fang." _Wow, I am way worse with names than I thought._ Hope told her they had gone their separate ways. He decided to stick with Vanille, though. "Kairi," Vanille began in her cute Pulsian accent, "Did you happen to touch one of the colourful dandelions in the jungle earlier?"

"Yes, actually." She responded, remembering her anger. Hope sighed, "You'll start mental hallucination in about three... two..."

"Is that Axel making out with Roxas in only a hula skirt?" Kairi suddenly asked. Hope rammed himself into a wall, "Okay, I give up. Not only did she put one of the most disturbing images into my head, but she demasculated me at the same time." Kairi then burst out laughing, "I'm just kidding."

"That was _not_ funny." Hope huffed. Vanille giggled, "On the bright side, Kairi isn't as serious as I thought she' be." She cocked her head to the side, "Well, I suppose you're right. I _was_ worrying about Sora earlier, but there's something about you two that just makes me want to smile." Hope, for some odd 'anime' effect wiped the bottom of his nose for no apparent reason, "Well, I'd understand why. Vanille has that effect on people." She blushed unknowingly.

_Kairi? Kairi, where are you? Baby?_

The air grew sinister again. As her crimson hair blew forward and framed her face, Kairi uttered one name, "Cloud?" Hope rolled his eyes, "Haha, very funny. What's the next yaoi couple? Zack and Cloud? What are they doing this time? Dry humping each other in miniskirts?" Vanille lightly jabbed his shoulder, "No Hope- she's serious this time." Judging by the look in her violet blue eyes, Vanille was right. Kairi broke into a sprint, following the sound of her instincts.

"This is just like Sora," Vanille pouted, "Poor babies. Should we follow her?" A sword ramming into the wall a few centimeters from Hope's head answered Vanille's question. Hope whimpered and nodded before taking action. He pulled the handle of the sword and took it with him as a backup. From the same direction, a trident whizzed past his head. He looked above him and saw Noctis running towards him- upside down, that is. He was pretty fast with numerous weapons being levitated around him.

"It's Noctis!" Hope called out, matching his speed with Vanille's. Kairi was a few meters ahead of them. Vanille spun herself around and took her binding rod from her belt. She swung it in Noctis' direction as three strings winded themselves around his ankles. He fell although he was upside down. "Kairi!" The redhead screamed, "Shoot!"

On command, Kairi reloaded her bow and shot the arrow at Noctis' direction; she missed. Hope had more luck, though. With his tranquilizer gun, he luckily shot Noctis' neck and disintegrated him. Vanille sighed in relief as she put away her weapon, "Noctis sure isn't going to be happy when he realizes that he got killed by a sixteen year old."

"Yeah, that's pretty embarrassing. Right, Kai-" When Hope was about to congratulate her on her attempt, she was already a good fifty meters away from them. Cloud's voice kept ringing in her ears, asking her where she was and begging for her help. "Cloud!" She yelled out, "Where are you? !"

x

"Don't you feel bad for lying to her?" Asked Zack, casually walking side by side with his best friend. Both had similar weapons slung across their backs- buster swords. They acted as if they weren't in a survival game at all. They were downright calm- it was like they were taking a stroll through a strawberry patch. Cloud sighed, shaking his head, "I don't know, Zack. I do feel kind of bad, but at the same time, it's not really a lie."

Zack froze, "What?"

The wind blew in the dead, monochromatic amusement park, scattering around burnt flyers. "It's not a lie," Cloud responded, acting as if there was nothing wrong with what he just said. "Tifa is going to_ kill_ you!" He yelled, "You've been dating her for four years! Don't tell me Kairi's gotten to you! I've seen you, man, and I've never seen you so in love with any girl other than Tifa. You're in love with a lie!"

"Keep your voice down," The blond commanded, "And you don't understand. Zack, yes, I seriously do love Kairi. But not in the romantic way. She's like my little sister. Tifa is the one for me, Zack. Not Kairi."

"I knew it." Said an angry voice. The two soldiers turned around to come face to face with fire itself- Axel.

Zack's jaw dropped, "Th-Those leather gloves are Tifa's! A-And that shuriken- Yuffie, too?" Axel gave him both a smirk and a wink, "Those two weren't that hard to kill. I was given a little morale before I came into combat with them. You see, Kairi was crying because of that blond faggot." He pointed in Cloud's direction, "She's hurt, you know. She's going to find out- have you forgotten that this will be aired on live television? And believe me, when she does find out the truth, you'll be sorry. You'll be dealing with a very angry Sora."

Cloud unsheathed his buster sword and brought the edge to Axel's eyes, "This wasn't my idea. It was strictly business." Axel spun his chakrams in both hands, "You see, I don't really care. You're hurting my friends. And although I can't kill you in real life (that's Sora's job), I can surely kill you here. This is for Kairi and Sora. I'm going to get you a hundred times more than your pretty little girlfriend."

Cloud stifled what seemed like laughter, "Tch, really? Axel Oryxine, you don't seem like the caring type."

"Bitch, I'm about to be a dad," His chakrams now wreathed in flame, "Plus, you're the reason my band came to fight here. We can't practice. This involves me, pretty boy! Now come here and let me kick your ass!" With a sweatdrop, Cloud and Zack made a back to back formation with the edge of their weapons raised above their heads, "What a great influence you'll be to your child. I hope they enjoy watching you die on live television!"

* * *

After running for half an hour straight, Sora collapsed by a nearby wall. Out of breath, he zipped open his duffel bag and gulped down his last water bottle. The battle was bound to end soon, anyway. He would be sitting in front of a feast cooked by his twin brother in no time. _Why... have I been running for this long?_ For some odd dramatic reason, he looked at the palm of his hand, _What was the purpose? Its as if... I've forgotten..._

Sora's hallucinations had worn off, leaving him with no memory of Kairi's endless screams. He snapped back into reality. His body was sore, and he really didn't feel like moving. The problem was that the arena was a labyrinth of open spaces. He slammed his fist against the vandalized brick wall he leaned on, realizing something. Looking up, there was an entrance that led into an abandoned warehouse. It didn't look all too promising at first, but it was his best shot.

The colourful walls were now dull and faded. When he walked inside, he came face to face with himself. In fact, he saw three replicas of himself. _Mirrors_, he thought. Then he gulped, _Mirror maze_. He absoultely _hated_ mirror mazes. Everytime he turned around, he expected to see a girl in a white dress with long black hair covering her blood stained face. _I really have to stop watching horror movies..._

Just as he was about to chicken out and run out the door, he froze. There was no door. It was gone.

He whimpered before facing the mirrors once again. There were spotlights in front of each mirror, leading him to a path towards the north. _Maybe I should just wait here until the arena changes again,_ He thought it sounded like a good plan until he heard a deep voice whisper his name. He screamed and began running forward. Following the path was easy as long as he didn't look into the mirrors as much as he could.

Then there came a dead end when he was surrounded by mirrors on each end. All around him he could see a tired, wore down teenager with amazingly atrocious hair. _Wow... is that really how my ass looks from the back? _

_Sora._ He spun around and fired a bullet from his gunblade towards the direction of the voice. There was no one behind him- only a now shattered mirror. From that shattered mirror emerged a shadow creature with yellow eyes much like the ones he faced in the Leadenstrike race. He raised the gunblade with both his hands, dicing the creature in half. The only thing it did was provoke other creatures to emerge from the same mirror.

_Damn,_ He began running in the direction he used to enter the dead end, _I don't have time for this. I need to find Kairi. _The deep voice was whispering his name again, and each time he did, more creatures tried engulfing him in the dark. For such little creatures, they ran pretty fast. His gunblade wasn't doing much without any bullets and a (now) bitten edge. Sora continued to run, losing the 'heartless' (as they were classified on his goggles) by a few meters.

_Weapon, weapon,_ He repeated the obvious in his head, _I need a weapon!_ Just as if his prayers had been answered, a package tied to a small parachute fell into his hands. He had forgotten that so called 'sponsors' could send gifts to tributes in the arena. Whether they needed medicine, clothes, food- that was up to the sponsors. Quickly ripping off the silver wraping paper, Sora desperately opened up the rather large, narrow box and smiled.

_Destroy Cloud Strife._ Read the tag on the handle of his new weapon. "Thanks Light." Sora winked, knowing she was watching him on live television.

_"A keyblade?" Sora whipped the hunk of painted metal around as if he'd been wielding it for years, "It'll do." Lightning shrugged, "It's a new model. I've never tried it before, but it seems to suit you."_

Sora swung the light blade around and formed a stance. He checked himself out in the mirrors and whistled at how hot he thought he looked. The heartless had all gathered together into one large creature with a hole in the place its heart should be. It whispered Sora's name, forming a fist that would bring his downfall. _All right_, thought a smirking Sora,_ Come and get it._

x

Hayner squeezed Olette's hand harder as the red sky began to glow a bright baby blue. Olette too, squeezed his hand tighter. "What's going on?" Hayner asked as a gong rung in their ears, "The arena's changing early?" With skittish eyes, Olette disagreed, "No, they're about to show us who's dead." As per usual, the brainy young woman was correct. Kingdom Hearts Resort's logo appeared in the sky- it was a simple crown over a swirly heart. The whole sky now became a screen, showing pictures and names of those who had died in the last few hours in chronological order. A deep voice (most likely Cid Raines) read the names out loud.

_Hikari, Roxas_

_Fleuret, Stella_

_Klessonsteil, Demyx_

_Villiers, Snow_

_Somneri, Riku_

_Simnel, Xion_

_Farron, Lightning_

_Kisaragi, Yuffie_

_Lockhart, Tifa_

_Lisieux, Marluxia_

_Farron, Serah_

_Caelum, Noctis_

_Kinneas, Irvine_

_Fair, Zack_

"That is all. Good luck to the remaining victors." As Cid Raines stopped speaking, the sky turned a deep blood red again. "Fourteen dead," Olette confirmed, "There's only ten left." Footsteps approached the two from behind. When they turned around, it was already too late. Seifer had taken them out with a chained sickle, smirking as the two disappeared together, "Nope. Only eight."

* * *

_"That is all. Good luck to the remaining victors."_ As Kairi watched the colourful sky turn dull again, she felt tears going down her eyes. Fourteen people had died, and Sora was not one of them. Did her eyes deceive her? Riku had pierced Sora with a dagger. Sora disappeared. Then she shot Riku and Xion. She saw it with her own eyes. There had to be some mistake, some error. Yes, of course! That had to be it. It was an error.

Keeping the possibility in mind, she continued to walk forward, thoughts of Cloud pushed aside. Her hallucinations had worn off as well, leaving her with no memory of Cloud's endless pleas for help. _Where am I?_ She asked herself, trying not to let her thoughts dwindle onto Sora. She was on a path of elevation- a ramp that lead to a large mirror at the top. She approached the mirror with caution, keeping the edge of her fingers on an arrow in her quiver.

When she looked into the mirror, she did not see herself. In fact, it was more like a dark portal rather than a mirror with elaborately designed edges. It didn't look promising at all- for all she knew, something deadly was on the other side.

_Thwack!_

Daring to look left, she found the blade edge of a chained sickle pierced against the frame of the portal. The impact was so close to her face that it left a scar on her cheek. It took her a few seconds to register the sharp pain on her face. Her legs were shaking as well as her hands. Who was behind her? Surely it wasn't Hope and Vanille. They had stopped following her ages ago.

"Hello, Kairi."

Her bow fell to the ground with a thud. The snaky, husky voice belonged to Seifer. More tears began to fall from her eyes but she did not falter. She did not let out her sobs- that would have just given him more satisfaction. He didn't kill her right away. He would do whatever it took to make her death agonizing even if it was just a game. That was Seifer's style.

She felt paralyzed under his gaze but wasted no time. Without bothering to pick her bow off the floor, Kairi ran straight into the portal. Anywhere was better than there.

She was shrouded with grey clouds and thunder until she kept running and reached her destination. Looking behind her, the portal disappeared like she had expected. She had escaped from Seifer successfully. _Now, where am I? _Luckily, a monster wasn't running after her like she expected. Instead, she was on a large, circular platform with a floor made of colourful stained glass. Everything else was pure darkness. Sighing, she examined the stained glass closely and fell to her knees.

On one side was Sora, his radiant eyes closed as he held a star-like charm in his hand- _her_ good luck charm. On the other side was Cloud, holding nothing in his hands and his pale eyes wide open. The rest were pictures of people in her household in small circles. She had fallen next to Cloud, stroking his cold, stained glass face with her hand.

Her echoing sobs filled the air as she whispered, "Tell me the truth... is it true that... is it true that you're dating Tifa Lockhart?"

It was obvious that she wasn't expecting an answer. She just wanted it out of her system. Deciding that it wasn't a time to mope, Kairi forced herself up on her knees and began crawling towards the mirror that was in the center of the platform. Its framing was pink and swirly, and she could actually see herself that time. She wish she hadn't looked up at herself.

Her make-up was worn out, her hair was a mess, she had a bleeding scar across her cheek and her clothes were dirty and tattered. Her eyes then drifted onto the stained glass version of Sora, who was flawless. Flawless tan skin, perfect spiky hair and of course, the chizzled yet sensetive face that could show her a million expressions that made her feel different things. Cloud only had about five expressions.

One thing that bothered her was that Sora's eyes were closed. His brilliant, dazzling eyes were nowhere in sight. _I'm not supposed to be thinking about this_, She then remembered the song and the death list, _Come to think about it... if you died, how did you sing to me? _Huffing and stomping her foot childishly, Kairi pointed a finger at the stained glass Sora accusingly, "You! Do you see what you're doing? ! You're messing with my head without actually being in front of me!"

It was official- she snapped.

"You're ruining my life! You fucking cheater! Two-faced bastard!"

Poor Ventus was going to do alot of swear-blocking.

"I never ever want to see you agai-"

The mirror began to shine, catching her off guard. She shielded her eyes from the blinding light and waited for what was coming. Her first instinct was to take an arrow from her quiver but then she remembered that she had no bow to shoot with. Nonetheless, the sharp edge of an arrow was better than nothing. She raised her head and prepared herself.

But nothing could prepare her for what came next.

Sora came flying out of the mirror with his arms outstretched as if to hug her. He placed his arms around her shoulders and brought them both to the ground with Sora on top. Everything to Kairi was happening in slow motion. The glimmer from the mirror had stopped, disappearing entirely. The room was quiet. Only the sounds of their heavy breaths were heard._ He's... alive? !_

Sora's sapphire eyes reflected the colours off the stained glass, making them even more magnificent than before. Kairi felt like she were looking into a kaleidescope. She just couldn't keep her eyes off his-

_Stop, _She demanded. But it was _very _hard to do so. Basking in Sora's hotness was just too hard to resist.

His hot breath was right at her face (which, by the way, was still minty fresh) and no matter how sweaty, worn out and dirty he was, his scent was still heavenly. And his face, well, it was Sora's face. There was _nothing_ wrong with Sora's face. It was perfectly symmetrical and everything was the perfect size- especially his lips. His luscious, succulent lips (which, by the way, were better at kissing than Cloud's). Those same lips seemed to be smirking at the moment. Kairi was his girlfriend once- she knew how his head worked. He, no matter what, would still be the same old Sora.

Kairi frowned and kneed him in the solar plexus, "You make _one_ comment about _any _of our makeout sessions and I _will_ make sure you can't have babies anymore."

Groaning, he rolled off of her. She was surprised at his obedience. Was he guilty? _He should be_, Kairi growled, "How the hell did you get here?"

"I-I don't know," He said with a raspy voice, "I was fighting this hugeass shadow creature, then the next second, my keyblade smashed through a mirror and I ended up here." Judging by her expression, she wasn't pleased about him being with her.

She watched as he adjusted his duffel bag. He unzipped it and pulled out a first aid kit, taking out a bandage. He unwrapped it and walked towards her, carefully smacking it onto the cut on her face. She grabbed his wrist before he placed the bandage on, "Don't touch me."

He tried again- she resisted even more. "Don't!" She moaned as he kept trying. But in the end, Sora (being more physically superior) obviously won and kept his warm, uncalloused hand on her face. She didn't mind. She just kept her eyes fixated onto the floor. Tears fell from her eyes and onto the stained glass picture of Cloud. _Where are we?_ Sora wondered, _The gamemakers must have gone all out designing this arena... it's specifically made for-_

"Kairi," Sora whispered, "Why-"

Before he finished, Sora felt a seering pain on his cheek. Kairi's fragile hand was shaking against his face. It probably hurt as much as the scar on Kairi's cheek did. _Don't show weakness, don't show weakness, don't show weakness,_ Even Kairi knew it was impossible- she was already crying.

"I didn't do it." He suddenly said. She let her arm fall to her side. With a sigh, he said, "Axel told me what you saw. Do you_ seriously _think I would do that?" In the span of a second, Sora was shoved onto the floor.

"Do I _seriously_ think you would do that?" She mocked, "Of course, you faggot!" Shutting his eyes, Sora listened to the painful, untruthful words. On one hand, he felt happy that Kairi was going crazy about the situation. That meant that she _cared_. She hadn't lost her feelings completely.

Sora expected his ex to say more hurtful things, but her eerie silence was far too long for his liking. He looked up from the stained glass floor and saw her standing still with clenched, shaking fists. Her eyes were fixated onto the floor as her tears fell onto the stained glass Cloud, "Now's not the time to be talking about this. Forget any complications right now (like how you're _alive_, for one)- we'll discuss this in the real world." Sora agreed though confused. Regaining himself, he stood up, helplessly dusted the dirt off his clothes and cleared his throat.

He spun the keyblade in one hand, admiring its shine. The glass below them was so radiant it made the room glow. Whilst Sora did this, Kairi gripped the handle of her backup survival knife strapped onto her belt. She slowly unsheathed it, thinking Sora couldn't notice.

"Go ahead," He said hoarsely as he dropped his keyblade in surrender, "One of us is bound to die sometime- why not now? I know you want to, for everything I've done to you..."

Kairi could feel the guilt welling up inside her. _Why? _She wiped her tears away as she positioned the blade in front of her. _Why do I feel so guilty? _Everything Sora had done was a lie, wasn't it? _If it was... then why am I hesitating to stab him with this knife? _Maybe because he was pure all along? Pure enough that she hadn't lost her touch for him?

_"Dear Kairi, the only reason you would think of that possibility is because you've already fallen for him."_ Olette had said. Was it true? Did she really fall for him again? But how could she...? Kairi took another glance at the stained glass Cloud- her boyfriend. The accused cheater.

_"Motherfu-... HE'S CHEATING ON YOU!"_

_"No offense, but you're screwed."_

_"It all adds up," Axel spun his chakrams on his fingertips, "She's the one really dating Cloud and is jealous of you. I'm sorry."_

_"Listen. I was going to be nice about this, but I can't go any longer. You're stealing him away from me. I have a chance to obliterate you hypothetically, and I'm not letting that go to waste."_

_"He loves me."_

Sora yelling furiously, Tidus giving her negativity, Axel doing math, Tifa unable to contain her hatred and Tifa's final words- did it all add up just as Axel had said? Shaking her head away from her thoughts, Kairi remembered her own words- forget any complications and deal with them in the real world. What really mattered right now was The HUnger Games and how she had to kill Sora. Now. This instant. When he was completely vulnerable to any of her actions and was willing to take it.

"Lightning will probably be disappointed," Sora said truthfully, raising both his arms, "But it's for the best. So please, do as you wish. If it will make you smile, kill me."

_Oh contrair, you're the one killing me Sora Hikari_, The knife shook so much in her hand she needed both her hands to clutch the handle- even then she continue to shake. Sora took a step forward and with one hand, he took the blade and brought it closer to his chest. Their closeness made her shudder.

"I'm sorry, Lightning." He said, "But I can't win."

Then with his other hand, he placed it over her shaking ones and was about to drive it straight into his heart if only the arena hadn't started shaking. Both had lost their grip on the knife, causing it to fall in between them. The stained glass had shattered into large yet still uncountable pieces, bringing them into the dark chasm below.

As soon as Kairi started screaming, Sora scooped her up in his arms. Oddly enough, she didn't seem to mind this altruistic gesture. Kairi mouthed something to him- he translated it to be along the lines of _don't let go_.

"Never." He responded.

x

"If a bull dog and a shitsu reproduced, would their offspring be called bullshit?"

Olette stifled a laugh at Hayner's odd questions. On their way back to the Hikari household from the arena, the two had been playing a game of twenty questions. Olette didn't bother answering his question seeing as they had already reached the porch of his house. It was already dark outside and the moon had cast its light over the island. Both teens stood in front of each other awkwardly with Hayner's hands behind his head and Olette's behind her back.

"So," Hayner whistled.

"So..." Olette bit her lip.

"Want to go inside for some_ real_ food?" Hayner laughed as if it were some sick joke, but he really was hungry. Olette nervously accepted his offer and walked inside, kicking her knee-high shoes off. Hayner tried his hardest not to gawk- Olette was still in her Hunger Royale attire and it exposed more of Olette than usual. _Brainy and sexy. That should be illegal._ Hayner then tried restraining himself more by holding his breath. He didn't want to risk taking in her sweet scent although they were sweaty head to toe.

"About time you died!" Roxas cheered from the living room, "Black Ops was getting boring without you! You see, Ventus kinda sucks." Ventus threw a pillow at him from behind.

In flattery, Hayner outstretched his arms as if to hug Roxas. The guitarist had missed him, no? Sadly, he was wrong. Roxas did outstretch his arms but didn't encircle them around Hayner. Instead, he hugged Olette and begged her to play. _Brainy, sexy and a gamer. Kill me now._ "H-Hey Roxas, there any bags of chips left?" That was Hayner's attempt to change the subject.

"Hm, now that you mention it," Ventus answered for him seeing that Roxas was preoccupied with Olette, "I tried looking for some this morning and I didn't find any."

_The chip monster has been at it again,_ Hayner growled, "Well let's see if they took my secret stash in the bathroom!" With determination, Hayner sprinted up the stairs and kicked open the bathroom door he shared with Selphie. He didn't care if it was occupied or not- he was in an arena for more than nine hours and he just wanted his damn chips! But the instant he knocked down the door, he regretted it for two reasons.

1) Roxas would probably beat his face in for destroying his cherished beach house.

& 2) He dreaded the scene before him.

Selphie was perched over the toilet seat, a hand at her throat. Her eyes were shut and regardless of her actions, she was peacefully sleeping. The air smelt of vomit and, just as he didn't want to suspect, he found his secret stash of chips opened up and sprawled across the water absorbant rug. But he didn't mind the chips at the moment. No matter how much it seemed like he hated Selphie, he felt so bad for her at that moment. He reached out towards her and got on his knees. He never thought she' result to something so drastic because of him. His few words were so powerful. He felt a pang in his heart. He was the cause of what he saw.

"Oh my gosh Selphie... you're bulimic."

* * *

Small islet. Clean beach. Bent paopu tree. Dark sky. Orange moon rising in the horizon. There was only one name for such a place- Destiny Islands.

Sora and Kairi lay side by side on the shoreline with their faces buried in the soft sand, hands intertwined. The first to move was Sora who regained his strength faster. With aching muscles, he slowly propped himself up on all fours while keeping his right hand intertwined with Kairi's. She did ask him not to let go- he wasn't about to break that. Although Sora was pretty sure she wasn't herself when she said that- just overcome by fear. In about a few seconds, she would wake up and start bitching at him.

"Destiny Islands." She croaked as she tightened her grip on his hand. _Guess not_, Sora felt himself grin a little. It was the exact replica of Destiny Islands itself. There was a shack he and his friends built, a wooden bridge, the bent paopu tree, the small, clean waterfall nearby their 'secret place'- heck, they even had the log Roxas tripped over that caused him to kiss Axel. Sora sniffed the air, sighing in delight. He had missed that smell so much.

"Just as beautiful as I remember it..." Sora felt his eyes welling up with tears at the memories. Where they stood, exactly where they stood was where he and Kairi got together and broke up.

"Wow they... really went all out." Kairi whispered in awe, "It has everything."

"Not everything," Said a deep, venomous voice. Loud footsteps and the sound of swinging chains broke the silence. Sora noticed Kairi's grip get tighter, indicating her fear. "Run." She commanded, "Just run." He refused and turned around slowly. Surely enough it was who he was expecting.

"Do you know what they're missing?" Seifer asked, admiring his reflection on the blade of his sickle, "The image of Sora's death." Kairi squeaked.

His instincts told him to find his keyblade immediately. Obviously his sickle couldn't do any _real_ damage, but the evil glint in his eyes told him that Seifer was seriously about to beat him up. _Those_ hits would be critical. "H-How did you get out?" Kairi hid behind her ex-lover, "You were sentenced a week in jail. Who bailed you out?"

"That's classified information." Seifer placed the chain in between his fingers and began spinning the blade over his head. Sora placed an arm around Kairi's waist protectively. She felt uneasy but nonetheless snuggled closer to him. _Keyblade... keyblade... _His eyes narrowed onto the bent paopu tree over the wooden bridge. The silhouette of a key was visible against the orange moon.

Surely Sora knew that he couldn't go get it himself. Leaving Kairi with Seifer was not the best idea. They had to split up, and if one was going to run, it had to be Kairi. Seifer was going to go after Sora first. So the plan was simple- Kairi would run to get his keyblade while he kept Seifer distracted. He had to say this without any words- Seifer would get suspicious.

Instead Sora turned Kairi to face him and drifted his eyes onto the paopu tree- Kairi got the message instantly. For a few moments, the beach was silent except for the crashing waves and the sickle's swinging chains. Kairi's feet quickly shifted in the sand as she broke into a sprint towards the wooden shack that would lead her to the stairs and, eventually, to the keyblade.

Seifer swung the blade in her direction only to have Sora catch the chains midway and pull him to his fist. He held his cheek in pain, giving Sora a dirty look. "Your opponent is_ me_." Sora said darkly, "Do as much as lay one finger on her and you'll regret it." Seifer smirked- he wasn't afraid. He had something up his sleeve. Literally.

Kairi never thought of herself as athletic, but at the rate she was going, even she had to admit she was going pretty fast. She was already halfway across the bridge and a few meters away from the keyblade. She could hear the clanging and panting coming from the two boys. In any second, one of them could die an she prayed to God it wasn't Sora. Her heart was beating so loudly she couldn't even hear her thoughts. All she was concerned about was Sora now. Only Sora. The very being she hated with all her might. She was trying to save him.

With all the strength she could muster, Kairi took the handle of the keyblade and pryed it off the tree's body. She threw it like a boomerang in Sora's direction. He caught it successfully, but the instant he turned his back on Seifer, the sickle's chains were tied around his whole body. Seifer pulled on them, causing Sora to fall flat on his face with the keyblade away from his possession.

He dragged the helpless brunet towards him, kicking him on the side to make him face upright. Sora balanced himself on his elbows and feet, looking up at Seifer with frightened eyes. From the innter pockets of his tunic, he pulled out a pistol. Kairi's pupils dialated in pure shock. This wasn't going to be good.

**Strife Household**

"What the fuck is this? !" Zack yelled furiously at the hologram television screen. Aerith came running to his side, asking him what was wrong while offering him some barley tea. Yuffie and Tifa came running as well. "Cloud and I saw the designs for this arena," Zack explained, "On the weapons list, there was never a pistol. Never."

Aerith dropped the tray of tea onto the floor and rushed to call Cid Raines to stop the match. Tifa, though hated Kairi, couldn't help but feel scared for her and Sora, "B-But that means..."

**Back in the arena**

"This gun," Seifer cocked it, "Isn't part of these stupid games." Kairi's heart stopped beating. She had lost her breath. She was so far from Sora that she couldn't even reach him anymore. The cold edge of the gun was placed against Sora's forehead with Seifer's hand at the trigger. The gun was real. How he managed to sneak it in was beyond her. But this was it. Sora was going to die right before her eyes. Seifer was finally going to get his revenge.

She was never going to see Sora again, and there was nothing she could do to save him at such a distance. She was never going to see him smile. She was never going to see him turn eighteen. She was never going to see his beautiful eyes ever again. She was never going to hear him laugh, or cry, or sing. She was never going to feel his arms around her, his lips on hers...

Sora was so weak and powerless. He couldn't move- he was paralyzed. He knew what was going to happen from here. It wasn't going to go as he expected. He was expecting the announcer to say, "And the winner of Hunger Royale is..." and call out his name, but instead he was actually going to die. He didn't look afraid, though. He looked like he was willing to accept it, and so was Seifer. He had no guilt in his eyes.

He looked at Kairi one last time, who was on her knees, paralyzed as well. The wind blew through her hair as she tried to reach out towards him. He did nothing but smirk. He smirked. _How... how could you possibly do that at a time like this? !_ Kairi thought angrily, _You don't... always have to smile, you know..._

Suddenly the sound of sirens began to ring around them and the arena was disappearing slowly. It wasn't changing. They were being returned into the real world. A feeling of relief washed over her. Cid Raines voice was booming across the speakers but Kairi couldn't understand what he was saying. Just as the transformation was complete, she heard a gun fire. Her heart shattered.

_"You meant everything to me- you still do, so why would I hurt you?"_

_"I love you. You know it's the truth."_

_"You like it, don't you? This was all for you. And if I do say so myself, you are very attractive, Kairi Lovelock. Inside and out."_

_"I'll always love you, Kairi. Always, I promise."_

_"I was just... a wall. You can lean on me all you want, I can protect you, but... I'll just get in the way."_

_"You look beautiful."_

_"Tie it around your ankle first..."_

_"I want you to see me as... m-more than the boy y-you knew two years ago."_

_"Donna toki datte. Tada hitori de. Unmei wasurete. Ikite kita no ni..."_

_"Then I told you I loved you... then I kissed you... just like this."_

_"When I simply tell you I love you, tell me you don't believe it. Come on. I dare you. Tell me that I don't love you. Tell me again that my love is bullshit. Tell me his kiss was better than mine. Say it, come on."_

_"There won't ever be a day when I won't love you."_

_"Aloha oe..."_

"This... is real." He was gone. In one instant. Just like that. "Sora's actually... dead."

**In the next chapter:**

_"Look what you've done, Aqua!"_

_"D-Don't you ever do that to me again!"_

_"It's official. Seifer's been kicked off the island."_

_"Happy birthday, Sora and Roxas!"_

_"So it's true..."_

_"I'm not him."_


	20. Enough

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Who had a heart attack in the last chapter? :P Don't worry, for reassurance, I'm going to tell you this now: SORA IS NOT DEAD. Do you seriously think I'm going to let one of the cutest main characters die and disappoint all of you? This isn't Crisis Core LOL. Seriously. Zack did NOT need to die.**

* * *

**. Chapter XX .**

**_. Enough _.**

**Line of The Chapter: **  
_"That's okay. This is enough."_

Betrayal.

She hadn't felt this betrayed since she caught Sora kissing another girl. Back then, it hurt knowing she had lost Sora to someone else. Now, the pain of losing Sora in life forever was just... unbearable. _He can't just... leave me like that... _Hot, crystal tears ran down Kairi's cheeks as she dug her manicured nails deeper into the sand, _After everything you've promised me... after everything you've tried... you promised me you would never leave me... you promised!_

She had lost him. Her ex-boyfriend. Her best friend. Her light.

x

"Look what you've done, Aqua!" Pence pointed a finger at her accusingly. The rest of the Hikari household (bunched together on one couch) gave her dirty looks- Aqua had betrayed them. They never imagined that a sweet girl like her could be so evil. On the television screen, they had just witnessed Sora's death. They helplessly watched as Sora's (now) dead body fell sideways with a thud. Roxas, on his knees, felt as if half of him had disappeared. Namine and Xion were bawling their eyes out. Olette was in pure shock. Ventus watched the woman of his affections be accused of murder. Aqua placed a hand over her aching heart. Hayner and Selphie had no clue what was happening seeing as they were upstairs.

For once, Riku was the only optimist among all the mourning teens, "Sora's not dead." After watching the last few hours of the games, Riku then learned the Sora he had killed was an illusion. He forgave Xion for the silly assumption. She, in return, didn't ask Riku what he was about to say before Kairi shot him.

Roxas raised his head slowly, "H-How can you say that? You clearly just saw him get shot!" Riku rolled his eyes then focused them onto the television screen, "Sora's too stubborn to die."

Riku was right. As Seifer aimed his gun at Kairi, the Sora on the screen bursted into a series of miniature lights. Seifer backed away slowly in confusion only to be slashed from behind. "Your opponent is _me_, remember?" The killer said in a singsong voice. A cannon fired as he disintegrated into the salty sea spray air. The arena stopped changing. Seifer's killer was a person hooded and cloaked wielding a gunblade. They waved at Kairi from below.

"Kairi, baby," said the young man jokingly, removing his hood, "Miss me?"

Disregarding what he just called her, Kairi choked out his name in a disbelieving whisper, "S-Sora?" With his signature smile that Kairi loved so much, he pointed at himself proudly, "The one and only." _This... can't be!_ Her heart was already starting to rebuild itself.

Destiny Islands disappeared, returning to its real state. Sora, Kairi as well as the other competitors were teleported back into their change rooms where they all looked around, shocked and confused. Only six of them were left. Six out of twenty-four.

Sora, Kairi, Cloud, Hope, Vanille and Fang. Axel must've died recently at Cloud's hand.

Outside their walls, Seifer was being hauled away with hancuffs restraining him. He was surrounded by about twenty security guards and was taken to Cid Raines who confiscated his weapon, "Obvious disqualification. Mr. Strife has ordered me to inform you that you are now restricted from returning to Kingdom Hearts. Goodbye, Mr. Almasy." The tributes banged on the wall and begged for answers. Kairi paid no mind to Seifer, though.

She pressed the palm of her hand against the glass wall of Sora's change room, tears rolling down her face as she looked at the healthy, clean boy in front of her. The scar on Kairi's cheek disappeared. She too, was squeaky clean. Sora placed the palm of his hand against Kairi's through the glass, smiling at her softly. She could feel the warmth of his hand through the glass indicating that, yes, Sora was indeed alive and well.

"What happened? Why did the match end early?" A dumbfounded Vanille asked Cid Raines. "Seifer Almasy brought a real weapon into the arena and fired a bullet at Sora Hikari's head. But not to worry. It's official. Seifer's been kicked off the island." Everyone surrounded Sora in astonishment. He was bombarded with endless questions and screaming. "How then? How are you alive? !" Hope began feeling up Sora's face, "Talk, my cousin!"

"Hope, stop!" Sora whined, trying to pry his cousin's hands off his face, "You're emasculating me!"

"I know," Fang hipchecked Hope to the side and patted Sora's shoulder, "It was your duplicate that he shot."

"Du... plicate?" Kairi whispered. She couldn't believe this was actually happening. Sora scratched the back of his head, "Originally, the weapon I got was some unknown device. Fang activated it for me and made a duplicate of myself. So, my duplicate and I seperated ways. Luckily the clone was the one Seifer shot and not the real me." Everyone sighed in relief, grateful that Sora was still alive (Kairi, especially). Whilst everyone reminisinced in the silence, Kairi ran next door and smashed herself into Sora's chest, hammerfisting it, "Don't you _ever _do that to me again!"

He stifled his laughter as she hit his muscular chest childishly. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her close, burying his face in her strawberry scented hair. "Never scare me like that! I thought you were gone! I thought I was never going to see you again! Sora, you're such an asshole for scaring me like that! You idiot! You douchenozzle!"

Hope sweatdropped at Kairi's insecurity. He was getting sick of watching the sappy moment and decided to join in on the hug, cockblocking their moment. Everyone (minus Cloud and Cid) joined in too while laughing, brightening up the dramatic moment. After a few minutes, Vanille asked Cid Raines who the victor would be. He simply said that they all won.

After that, they were all ordered to head home. It was already dark outside- they had been in the arena for almost half a day. Sora waited for Kairi as she gathered her clothes, wiping her tears and sniffling in the process. Only he, Kairi and Cloud were the only ones remaining in the change rooms. While Kairi was in the room alone, Cloud approached Sora, "Tell Kairi I'm sorry." Then he boarded the elevator and left. Sora knew what he meant.

* * *

In the elevator, Sora and Kairi were suffering from the typical 'awkward silence'. They _seemed_ to be interested more in the elevator than each other. It was a very fancy elevator- white, sleek, transparent and clean. The bottom platform was a large floorlight, illuminating their faces. But nonetheless, things weren't always as they seemed.

Kairi was actually stealing very secretive glances at Sora when he wasn't looking. Against the light, he was even more flawless than the stained glass image. This Sora was real, and even more importantly, alive. Even in unusual battle attire, he was far more handsome than anyone she had ever seen. She was so scared she had lost him- lost this image. Her heart was beating faster as she thought of how heartbroken she was.

Sora cleared his throat with an uneasy, melancholic look on his face, "About what you saw in the arena... I didn't kiss her, I swear." Kairi had actually forgotten about that, but she appreciated it that he still cared enough to apologize. "I know saying this might make this awkward, but..." He pulled on his scarf for air, "I'm in love with _you._ Only _you_. I wouldn't dare kiss anyone else but you. In fact... I've never dated, kissed or hugged any other girl since we broke up." She just remained silent. She wasn't sure whether to believe him or not.

"And if you don't believe me," Said a mind-reading Sora, "You can even ask Hope. He's my neighbour- he knows everything about me. My intentions, my relationships... everything." She nodded just to let him know she understood. "And the song?" She suddenly asked.

He looked her straight in the eye, "What?"

Restraining herself from staring at his eyes, she repeated, "The song I taught you in Destatiian. Aloha Oe... you sang it to me in the arena."

"Uh," Seeing as it was no time to argue, he simply just said, "Tell you what. When we go home, we'll watch the re-run of the games. That should clear things up." She nodded while biting her lip, eyes hazed with ready to fall tears. She couldn't contain it anymore. She didn't care about his faults anymore. She was just so happy he was alive.

He said her name softly, pulling her into a hug. She willingly gave into him, wrapping her arms so tightly around him. He held her head against his chest and allowed her to cry until her heart was contented. His cheek rested against her flocculent crimson hair, holding her as if there was no tomorrow, "I'm so sorry I scared you like that... I should've told you it was a duplicate. It's my fault. I'm so sorry."

It felt so right, being held against his chest... "Th-That doesn't matter! You're alive... thank God... I thought you w-were going to leave me again!"

He lifted her small figure up in the air and twirled her. She looked straight down into his captivating eyes and he looked up at her teary ones. Her hands rested on his shoulders, keeping her balance. His hands rested on her waist, keeping her in the air. As her tears hit his face like bullets, he whispered the words that he had promised since he met her, "I will _never _leave you."

Then the elevator doors opened.

In the lobby, teenage reporters and paprazzi began to take pictures and shout questions at them, begging to be answered. Sora immediately let Kairi down and kept their distance from each other to prevent unwanted questions. "Sora, are you and Kairi back together? !" A young woman asked. _Too little too late_, Sora rolled his eyes and grabbed Kairi's wrist as non-romantic as possible. He cut through the crowd like a weed-whacker, heading for the exit as fast as possible.

Reporters still tried asking them questions, nontheless. Most were the usual "How do you feel about the situation?" but the one Kairi frequently heard was, "Ms. Lovelock, how do you feel knowing that Cloud Strife has been cheating on you?" That put a hole through her heart. Sora noticed and quickened his pace. When they finally got out, the ex-couple was greeted by the cool, night air.

Sora released Kairi hand to prevent any more misunderstandings.

Without another word, he began walking towards the direction of their house until the sound of a car horn distracted him. He looked to the right and found a silver lexus xc430 convertible with none other than his twin brother in the driver's seat. With a teary expression on his face, he called Sora over.

Kairi watched as Sora spoke with Roxas- both twins had serious expressions on their faces. She couldn't hear what they were talking about, but judging by Sora's reaction, it wasn't good. Her ex-boyfriend was flailing his arms around in anger, burying his hands in his hair and kicking the air. Regaining himself, he walked up to Kairi and offered her a hand to lead her to the car. Worried, she took it. Sora's face was emotionless the whole way back.

**Hikari Household**

When Roxas pulled in, Sora expected to experience another question bombardment and hug festival, but instead, he saw an ambulance and Axel's car parked in their double driveway along with all their housemates outside. Kairi got out of the car first, watching the paramedics drag a limp body into the truck. The person's boney arm dangled off the stretcher, revealing a golden charm bracelet that read '_Selphie_' on their wrist.

That was all it took for Kairi to throw herself into the vehicle.

"Sora, stay in the car," Roxas ordered, "We don't want to attract to much attention. I have a feeling we'll be driving to the hospital in a few minutes, anyway." His brother obeyed him and began to change clothes in the back seat. Axel had noticed him beforehand and started screaming through the oopen window, "SORA! YOU! YOU MOTHERFUCKING EMPEROR OF CHINA! YOU SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME! DO YOU KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE IF YOU WERE DEAD? I'D BRING YOU BACK TO LIFE AND KILL YOU AGAIN MYSELF! OH MY GOSH! I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD A LEAD SINGER! YOU-"

Sora rolled up the windows in annoyance. Axel, in turn, choked but managed to escape.

"What happened?" The blond asked his frightened girlfriend.

"Selphie's bulemic," She whimpered, "She fainted in the bathroom."

"What could have caused her to do something so drastic?" Roxas asked in anger and sympathy. Everyone narrowed their eyes at Hayner. He squeaked, "Wh-When I called her fat, I was kidding!" Axel slapped him across the face, "You idiot! Don't you know how sensetive girls are? !" And this was coming from _Axel_. "Wow, I'm..." Olette looked Hayner straight in the eye, "Very disappointed in you, Hayner."

He had never felt more guilty in his life.

* * *

It was one thirty in the morning when everyone returned home. They had successfully dropped off Selphie at the hospital and were ordered to visit her in the morning if they wished. Kairi was highly against it and wanted to spend the entire night with her best friend but... rules were rules. They all dragged themselves upstairs, groaning in fatigue. All doors closed and all of them went straight to sleep except for Sora. He decided to take a walk on the shore outside in the backyard, reflecting on his brother's words earlier.

_"Roxas," Sora greeted, walking towards the car. "Sora, I need to tell you something." Roxas said in a deep tone, cutting right to the chase. Where this was going, Sora could tell it wasn't going to be good, "Um, yes?" With a heavy sigh, Roxas ran a hand through his hair, "Well, first, thank God you're alive. You had everyone, including myself, scared out of our wits back there."_

_"Tell me what the real news is," Sora said impatiently._

_"I just spoke to dad on the phone."_

_Sora backed up, "Wh-What? What did he say? !" With a disappointed look on his face, Roxas murmured, "Hewantsyoutogetofftheisland." Time froze for the brown-haired twin. Although he said it fast, he understood it. He wish he didn't. "What...?" was the only word he could think of._

_"He saw what happened on tv and... Sora, he wants you to go back to Palumpolum," Roxas clarified evenly. "I won't!" Sora placed both his hands in his hair and let out an exasperated sigh instead of the screams he wanted to produce, "I-I can't leave! Kairi needs me here, Roxas. I promised her I wouldn't leave! A-And you! I haven't seen you in such a long time! AND AXEL! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO TO ME ONCE HE FINDS OUT HIS LEAD SINGER HAS TO GO BACK HOME? HE'LL KILL ME!"_

_"Sora, I understand how frustrated you are about this," His twin's attempt to calm him down wasn't working very well, "But dad just cares about your safety. He wants you home the day after our birthday." Sora's fists clenched in anger, "Since when have our parents... ever thought about how we felt?"_

"Sora?" asked a soft voice from behind. He turned around and found Kairi standing before him, wearing nothing but a cotton skirt and an oversized red shirt that once belonged to him. He remembered giving it to her a long time ago. "Nice shirt," Was the only thing he said, although he wanted to tell her that she looked more beautiful than anyone he had ever seen- even in shlummy home clothing. The moon reflected off the horizon and onto their faces with a gentle night breeze running through them.

It felt just like before, but Sora never thought they would be like this. Ex's... face to face with guilt plastered across both their faces.

She blushed at his comment and thanked him, asking if he wanted the shirt back. He said no. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" Then she said with a fake laugh, "You had quite a bit of excitement in the games today." He didn't laugh, "Shouldn't _you_ be asleep?"

With her arms crossed, she reminded him, "Well, I would, but after today... I don't think I can." She tried her hardest to put on a real smile, "Plus someone promised to watch the re-run of the games with me. It's the least he could do for giving me a heart attack today." He smiled and pulled out his iPhone, "Before we do that... are you okay, Kairi?" She gave him the look he gave her in the elevator, "What do you mean?"

"Not to be a kill-joy, but... well, you were pretty upset when you thought I died, then you find out your best friend's bulemic... it's just... I thought you'd be depressed." _Yeah, and wait until you find out about Cloud..._

Tucking a piece of har behind her left ear with a half-giggle, she said, "Well, to be honest, I was depressed a few minutes ago... until I saw that you were awake." It was Sora's turn to blush. She was being so open to him- she hadn't done that in awhile.

_"Kairi half-giggled and tucked her hear behind her left ear," Selphie stated, narrowing her eyes, "She's so into him."_

"There's something about you that tells me not to give up on hope," She continued, placing her hands behind her back, "After all, you _did_ almost die... but you didn't. I know Selphie will make it through... regardless of how she looked today, she's a really strong girl. I don't think... Hayner's the only reason for this."

With a smile, he sat down cross legged on the sand, "You see, this is what I've always liked about you. You're honest." She plopped down beside him, "Well, after all that savagry in the arena, I think you need some well-deserved honesty. That... and I noticed how important your death was to me."

Even Kairi was surprised that those words came out of her mouth. If she had never come to the resort, she would be screaming to the heavens about her hatred for Sora. Now, Sora was all she had. There were so many problems she had to face. She needed Selphie, her best friend, but she couldn't be there. Selphie had her own problems. But Sora, her previous _best_ best friend, was willing to set aside all his problems just for her. Her. Kairi. She didn't even know why. She was way too lucky to have such a cute, supportive friend like him.

Even though he kissed her, she couldn't deny that she didn't like it. He had done nothing wrong- Kairi had provoked him which was wrong on her part.

"So, you're not mad at me anymore?" He asked in hopes for a positive answer, clicking the 'Teenage Wasteland' app on his iPhone.

_Of course not._ "Mmm," Kairi gave it some fake thought out loud, "Play the Hunger Royale footage and we'll see." With a smirk, he enlarged the screen on his phone and clicked the _Events_ button, then _'Hunger Royale'_, "Sorry I don't have your boyfriend's fancy hologram screen." Sitting closer to him while hugging her knees so that their shoulders touched, she said, "That's fine. This is enough."

_Yes,_ Sora leaned in to Kairi a bit more, _It is._

The Kingdom Hearts Resort logo appeared on the small screen then switched to the scene where every tribute was taken up their clear tubes on platforms. "Is that really what I looked like?" Sora whistled, "Damn, Roxas was right. I did look sexy." Kairi laughed and rested into him more. Where they were, next to each other by the shore was where they should have been all along. It was the way things should have been.

But Kairi was beginning to feel guilty. It felt like she was using Sora. He was always there for her, and had done nothing in return. _Mental note- get Sora something kickass for his birthday on Saturday_.

The tributes then began circling around the tower. The ex-couple laughed when Roxas had fallen off, then Stella and Demyx. They always laughed at the same things- they were too perfect. Then at the top, Snow's died. It showed footage of everyone jumping off with their alliance partners, going in different directions. Sora and Lightning made their pact and ran off together. Hayner and Olette got together. Hope, Seifer, Xion and Riku were the only ones running off by themselves.

The two began laughing again at the discovery of Hayner's cardboard box. The laughter died down when it showed Lightning's older sister speech. Sora blushed whereas Kairi began poking his cheek and teasing him. She stopped moving when she saw Xion walking down the shore, a cutlass in hand. Then Sora came out of nowhere, the edge of Xion's weapon at his throat.

"That is _not _me!" panicked a defensive Sora, "You saw me! I was with Lightning!" Kairi looked at the screen with skittish eyes, "Yeah, and this Sora's got red eyes."

_"You're not Sora," Xion said, "You're an-"_

_Then, he kissed her. "Illusion," She whispered as he pulled away._

"I told you," Sora whispered. _Nonetheless, it wasn't an illusion when you kissed her before,_ Kairi thought but didn't bother saying it out loud. It may risk the relationship she was trying to rebuild with him. Then Riku showed up and got into a fight with Xion. "Oh shit," Her ex-boyfriend cursed, "He's going to confess." _I feel like I'm watching a soap opera_.

"No," Kairi disagreed, "I shot him before he could." Sora's mouth was agape, "Why? ! You couldn't have waited until he told her he loved her?" Kairi raised her hands defensively, "I-I was angry, okay? !" With a smirk, he turned his attention back to the iPhone. Riku killed Sora (the brunet noticed and pointed out to Kairi that no cannon fired) then got shot by an arrow. Xion swam away but ended up dying instead. Sora was impressed with her aim.

"Second time's a charm, huh?" Kairi sobbed, walking away while unsheathing another arrow. Sora's heart ached at the scene. Then, Lightning died. Sora met up with Fang and Hope. The arena changed. Tifa and Yuffie teamed up. Kairi met up with Axel. Axel killed Marluxia with a molotov cocktail. The two red-heads had an emotional talk about what Kairi had witnessed. Tifa came in trying to kill Kairi.

Sora noticed Kairi tense up. No matter how tempted he was to put his arm around her shoulders for comfort, he just couldn't do it. Kairi might get mad at him again.

"What a bitch," Sora growled, "Why would she do that to you?" Kairi wasn't even watching anymore. "I'm sorry that happened to you," He said in attempts to try and comfort her. She shook her head, "It can't be helped." The arena changed before Tifa hit her. It showed Sora, Fang, Hope and Vanille on a cliff.

Then Sora began singing. Kairi raised her head to look at the screen. "I told you that you were singing."

"Impossible. You just saw me with Hope. It's just another illusion, Kairi." Kairi was screaming onscreen an eventually fainted. As Sora was watching this, he winced, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from any of that." She nudged his shoulder, "Stop apologizing- it's not your fault, okay?"

They both shut up when Olette and Hayner discovered Kairi. Then Sora began hallucinating on the cliff. Fang slapped him and created his duplicate. They ran separate ways. The real Sora killed Irvine with his gunblade. Hayner and Olette hid under a cardboard box then experienced the arena change. They ran away together, holding hands. Sora took a snapshot on his iPhone- he had some interesting blackmail for the gamer.

The next scene made them both freeze. Cloud and Zack were discussing the heir's relationship with Kairi.

_"Keep your voice down," The blond commanded, "And you don't understand. Zack, yes, I seriously do love Kairi. But not in the romantic way. She's like my little sister. Tifa is the one for me, Zack. Not Kairi."_

_"I knew it." Said an angry voice. The two soldiers turned around to come face to face with fire itself- Axel._

Sora turned off his phone and averted his attention onto the shocked, heartbroken Kairi. "So it's true..." He could already see the tears forming in her eyes. "I think I'm going to go to sleep..." When she stood up, Sora took her wrist. He didn't care if she got mad anymore. "K..." She was so lucky to still have him.

"I know," She began crying again, "You have every right to say 'I told you so!' Say it! Why does this keep happening to me? Why can't a guy actually love _me_, and only me? !"

"Kairi!" He cupped her face with his hands, "Shh shh, you're going to wake up everyone. Listen, listen." She refused. "Look at me." He lifted her face to look at me, "Stop crying, okay?" She stomped her foot, "I-I look like a whiny bitch to you, don't I?" He sighed and hugged her, "No, no... you have every right to cry."

"Wh-Why...?" Kairi was now suffering from hiccups, "I-I should have just stayed home!" He had no idea how to comfort her when she was like this. It was a bad time to tell her his cheesy pure feelings. That would just confuse her. How Tidus and Selphie were able to deal with her was beyond him.

"Kairi, Cloud was an asshole," With his hands still on her face, he looked at her with a loving expression, "And there is a guy... who loves you, and only you. He's right here." She was so sure that Sora was going to kiss her again. She wasn't ready for that. In fact, she didn't want anything to do with love.

Instead, Sora let her go and began walking up the trail to their beach house, "Let's get some sleep, okay? You've been through alot today." She had to admit, she was disappointed. "You need some alone time to think. If you need anything, just knock on my door okay? Hell, sleep beside me if you want. I swear I won't try anything." He didn't look back. He just went back inside without another word. _I can't stand to look at you like that anymore... damn that Cloud. Damn him. And if I tell you what Roxas told me... I'd... be damned myself._

_You're such a good friend it's killing me_, Kairi sighed, _Always thinking about what's best for me, and... the sad thing is, you're always right. You know me better than anyone. You truly are... a best friend._

Kairi stood on the shore for a little bit then went inside. She wouldn't accept Sora's offer. She didn't need it. She would be content with loneliness. But her self-judgement wasn't very good. She was always in denial when she was depressed. With a heavy sigh, she knocked on Sora's door and cuddled next to him. The guilt of using him ate her up alive the whole night.

**In the next chapter:**

_"I... I'm in love with you, Tidus Clearwater."_

_"Kairi, can you do me a favour? I need you to perform with me on Battle Of The Bands this Saturday."_

_"I'm Terra Bellecote, your household's new bodyguard."_

_"Did you know that whatever emotion you put into making food, that's the emotion people feel when they eat it?"_

_"Happy birthday, Sora and Roxas!"_

_"Wh-Why's Roxas wearing my bra?"_

_"I'm not him."_

* * *

**Hooray for early updates :D If you haven't noticed, I've made some slight modifications to the content of this chapter. I know I gave you a preview in the last chapter that had way more spoilers, but I had to put all the best parts in the next chapter :P If I didn't, this chapter would have been literally 20, 000 words long x) Plus, the next chapter is too crazy as you can tell from the preview xP It wouldn't match the emotion in this chapter. More Sora x Kairi for the win (insert heart here) !**

**So, why the early update? I just killed all my final exams ;D Chyeah! First semester of tenth grade is done! Now I get a five day vacation WOOT! Do you know what that means? Most likely another early update, but the next chapter has to be the best one yet! (Well, to me, anyway :P) So, let's see, what's new? Well, I'm eating leftover chinese takeout with chopsticks right now lol. Yes, so asian, I get that alot (:**

**Okay now what's REALLY new. Well, for one, I got into a car crash last Saturday. Yeah, wasn't that fun? Some car came spinning towards us and crashed onto our side. For those of you who live in Canada and its so freaking icy on the roads, BE CAREFUL. The people that hit us didn't even say sorry! (insert mad face here) *huff* Next, well, I'm dyeing my hair brown today :P Goodbye Xion hair and hello Kairi hair! Well, I know her hair isn't brown, but without the CGI graphics it looks like it ok? :P**

**And yesterday, I went to my friend's party and I totally PARTAY'D. Seriously. There was absolutely not a DROP of alcohol and we all just went crazy xD We also played this game on the wii called Just Dance 2 (you have to dance like the people do on the television screen) and I was too short for the censor to sense my movements :( Sometimes being five feet tall isn't fun xD YES, OKAY? I'M FIFTEEN AND I'M FIVE FEET TALL. Stop rubbing it in T-T**

**Well, that's about it for me today. I know at least half of you haven't reviewed on the last chapter yet, but I'm going to reply to the half that has :) Oh, and to those that are reading the Hunger Games because I recommended it, thank you so much for taking it into consideration T-T I feel like I'm advertising the Hunger Games! YO. SUZANNE COLLINS SHOULD PAY ME FOR THIS XD**

**Craxuan: LOL I think you're the only one who thought Sora's death was cool. Everyone else is freaking out xD**

**paopufruit-to-go: Omg I love your penname! It sounds like some tropical ice cream shop I'd go to :P And you were dead right- I'm not going to let the hero die! You've got great quote analyzing skills (:**

**Artism: OMG LOL I DID THE SAME THING. I thought I found the exit, I slammed into a mirror, and it turns out that IT WASN'T EVEN THE EXIT T-T plus I rammed into the wall when a cute guy was there too! :( And I try my best not to curse, but apparently, little asian girls such as myself are the most vicious :P**

**Suzumiya Haruka: No one anticipated Sora's death :P Actually, even I didn't. It just came to me when I wrote the chapter xD I'm just like "Huh, I'm going to make Sora die. That sounds dramatic and epic. LET'S DO IT!" lol. And don't worry, I'm VERY insane :) And you're on Catching Fire? The second one's my favourite one ;D You're gonna meet my favourite character- his name's Finnick Odair (insert heart here). But I'll admit, the first half was so boring :P The second half made me shit bricks lol.**

**Tsuraya-chan: He's not dead :P I just wanted some really intense drama after all the action. You can't have action without someone dying at some point! x) And Aqua hadn't planned on Seifer bringing out the gun. She just released him out of prison to- I think I'm explaining it in the story soon so hang tight :)**

**ultravioletpapercutsx: why thank you ;D and lol, you know me, I HAD TO!**

**thatguy35: I know, that's why I didn't kill him :)**

**Sozic: Do you forgive me? :O And don't worry, Aqua's totally gonna get it xP**

**Tyjet-Ansatsu: You got a yo yo? Omg, I'm so bad with those lol. I may be a ninja, but I SUCK with yoyo's :P How's your story going? I really appreciate you putting a character in there to represent me :)**

**CupcakeLerman: Oh, you make me blush :3 Thank you x) ! **

**SoraHikariKokoro: You were right about that line ;D I'm definitely not going to kill Sora! AND LOL. THERE'S A I LOST THE GAME WEBSITE? LOOOOLL. Plus, I don't write very well, I'm sure you can write better than me xD**

**moonlight-on-grass: whoa, i never thought of that possibility :D Cid shooting Seifer? You, my friend (you're my friend right? xD), have a creative mind!**

**Jared Someone: JARED, BABY, HOWS IT GOIN'? Scared? You should be :) That's payback for calling me a looker you sexy aussie you ;D**

**Soreign21: Okay, "Sora's not dead." There, I told you :P And did it drive you insane? That was my goal ;D**

**xLycheeRAiN: Oh this story is NOWHERE near done xD And sorry for making you go insane- that was my goal though :P**

**One Sky one Dream One Destiny: awee thanks :) Did you like this chapter?**

**EternallySky: Awee, you read the book because of me? T-T I LOVE catching fire! It's my favourite one! You meet my favourite character! FINNICK ODAIR! ;D The first part is a little boring, but I assure you, the second half made me shit bricks (insert heart here)**

**Dreamstation369: HE IS :)**

**Transitions End: Yes, it did lol.**

**Joahikim: I was hoping so :)**

**DestinyKeyblader28: Thanks :)**

**DragoNik: Glad to know I saved your life :D I FEEL LIKE A DOCTOR! (even though I seriously can't be one. I can't take blood lol)**

**Wow, and that was only HALF the reviews? DAMN. I LOVE YOU GUYS! I FINALLY REACHED THE 500 PLUS MARK! I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO MUCH! ITS AT 526! OMGGG. I LOVE YOU. AHHHHHHHH! I LOVE YOU! Lol sorry I'm so hyper. I just woke up actually LOL. But seriously, thank you all for all your support! I hope you continue supporting me, because this story still has a LONG way to go! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and stay tuned for the next one which is sure to shock you ;D Please review, and again, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! X3 THIS STORY IS DEDICATED TO ALL YOU DEDICATED FANS!**

**xoKyorii**


	21. Happy Birthday!

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**Terra Bellecote (Stage 1):** The Hikari Household's new bodyguard. He has a thing for Aqua and used to be the stepbrother of Ventus. Age 18.

**Ignis Aethon (Stage 1):** Roxas and Sora's rich stepfather. Age 39.

**Irvine Kinneas (Stage 1):** Tidus' next door neighbour on the island. Selphie has a crush on him. Age 18.

**OTHER:**

**Adamantite:** A type of metal that, when exposed to heat, spontaneously combusts.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the following songs- I Like That, Teenage Dream, Whip My Hair, Good Girls Go Bad & Double Vision. They respectfully belong to their rightful owners :) And by the way, there is mild Bieber bashing in this chapter- I apologize in advance if you have Bieber Fever!

* * *

**. Chapter XXI .**

**_. Happy Birthday! _.**

**Line of The Chapter: **  
_"I'm not him."_

This summer, endulge yourself at Kingdom Hearts Resort, where you can re-unite with your sexy ex-boyfriend, live with deranged teenagers, be suffocated by your mortal enemy and get mentally scarred for life in the Hunger Games. After all that, receive a complementary asshole of a boyfriend who also happens to be the heir of the resort. Call now- we're waiting for you!

x

It was a beautiful day outside- she couldn't see it, but she sure could feel it. The warmth of the sun enlivened her fair skin and brightened her face. Kairi could hear birds singing, waves crashing, food sizzling (meaning that Roxas was still cooking) and people laughing downstairs. Kairi's eyes shot open. The sun was already high in the sky. People were already awake and laughing downstairs. Roxas was already cooking.

When she looked at the alarm clock (which, by the way, was_ not_ the one in her room), it read 11:30am. _Eleven_ freaking_ thirty _am! She was usually awake before any of these peaceful sounds begun.

_I... slept in._ Kairi had never had such a peaceful sleep in her life. Her ex-boyfriend 'died' the other day, her best friend was found bulemic, her boyfriend was caught cheating and yet... she just had just had the best sleep of her life.

_Why...?_ It hit her when she noticed the shirtless, muscular boy lying next to her. Her first instinct was to freak out, but then she remembered the offer he made her. Unlike before, he hadn't left. He even stayed true to his word and hadn't tried anything.

She smiled. Watching Sora sleep was such a sight to see.

She had never seen him so peaceful. It was enough for her, really- it was enough to make her forget the pain. No guy, not even Cloud had this effect on her seeing as he was the one who caused the pain in the first place.

Even the slight rise and fall of Sora's chest interested her- it reminded her that he was alive and breathing. It would've been such a shame to disturb his moment of placidity. _I wouldn't mind waking up to this everyday... _Whilst sucking on her bottom lip, Kairi twirled a piece of his chocolate brown hair around her index finger, _This isn't right... I feel like I'm using him._

_Vmmm! Vmmm!_

Her eyes widened in shock as she tried to find the source of the vibrating. On the nightstand beside Sora, his iPhone was about to fall off the edge and it was rather loud considering that it was vibrating against sleek wood. Kairi went over him and reached for the phone before it fell, successfully rescuing it without touching the sleeping Sora. She slowly retracted herself over Sora back to her side of the bed. He received a text message from 'Roxas' boyfriend'.

_Who's- ...Axel_.

**Roxas' boyfriend: **SORA. GET 'CHO WAYSIAN ASS DOWN HERE NOW. WE'RE PRACTICING UNTIL YOU CRY.

Looks like Sora's peaceful moment would have to end.

_Now Sora, how shall I wake you up?_ Her eyes dwindled onto his luscious lips. She shook _that _possibility out of her head. She went for a more subtle approach and gathered the courage to lightly pat his cheek. He didn't budge. She tried again- harder this time. Nothing. She'd have to go for something more intense.

Kairi eyed his right hip (she blushed while doing so). It was Sora's well-known tickle spot. A poke there was guaranteed to jolt him awake. She drove her index finger straight into his side only to have her wrist grabbed midway.

"Nice try," Said the supposedly 'sleeping' boy. The half-smile he previously had turned into a full-on smirk. There was nothing that could bring this kid's spirits down.

"How long have you been awake?" Kairi huffed.

"Mmm," His radiant eyes opened as if they were never asleep, "11:15?"

"Why didn't you leave?" Kairi lips formed a puzzled line. He emmitted a long-awaited yawn, "I had to make sure you were okay." She aknowledged his concern with a smile.

"Well, are you? Did you have a good sleep, Ms. Lovelock?" She giggled his attempt at a Pulsian accent. "Oh, by the way," Kairi remembered her reason for waking him, "Roxas' boyfriend sent you a text message. He wants you downstairs for practice immediately."

Their eyes met as they burst into laughter in unison, but Kairi's laughter died down far quicker than Sora liked.

"I-I should go." She stammered, heading for the door. Surprisingly, she didn't have to dodge any clothes lying on the floor. For a teenage boy, Sora sure was cleanly. "_Kairi_," Sora said groggily while licking his dry lips, "Is yesterday still bothering you?" He couldn't blame her- it was some serious shit.

Kairi's fragile hand lingered on the doorknob, "I... I, well... yes, but..."

"What have I done wrong?" The melancholic look on his face didn't match the mirthful sun seeping through the window. _You've done nothing wrong_, Kairi thought, contradicting all her beliefs for the past two years, "Sora, you don't understand... I'm grateful for your help, it's just... I feel like I'm using you."

He came to an abrupt stop, "Are you?" Her lip quivered, "I-I don't know..."

"Well what makes you think that?" He started to make his bed clad in nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants, "Come on Kai. No good hiding anything now, is there?" She nodded and helped him make his bed. Sora couldn't help but think that they looked like a married couple- his heart fluttered at the thought. Kairi cleared her throat. He looked up.

"Sora," She twiddled her thumbs and became interested in the hardwood floor, "C-Can you put on a shirt first? You're kinda... distracting." He took note of her reddened face and laughed inwardly. She was so cute. He obeyed her command and pulled out a fitting white v-neck from the drawers on his right. Like a child, he pounced on the newly made bed and sat cross legged, "Now, you were saying?" He patted the space beside him.

Kairi plopped down as well, "Well, don't you find it peculiar that I come running for your aid the instant I find out Cloud's cheating on me?" By the looks of it, Sora wasn't catching her drift. She sighed, "Sora, you're doing so much for me and I'm doing nothing in return." Despite how serious Kairi looked, Sora guffawed. His laugh sounded so different from the one she heard two years ago. It was still cheery, but more masculine.

"Kairi, what am I to you?"

_That's a good question,_ What _was _Sora to her? A few weeks ago, he was the person she loathed the most. Then he became her friend. Then her best friend. Then back to the person she loathed most again. After that, she began to think he was the boy she had feelings for. Now he was someone she deeply counted on. What _was _he?

Was there such a name for a person who you could rarely hate, like, make you happy beyong belief and count on at the same time? This one hit her even harder. "You're my... _friend_." Sora rolled his eyes playfully, "You say it like you're ashamed. Tell me again."

"You're my friend." She said with a tad bit more confidence. The only thing holding her back was their past. "Exactly," Sora flicked her nose, "_Friends _do things for each other without asking for anything in return. You're not using me at all. You've just finally accepted my help. Gosh, this all seems so new to you."

"Well sorry, I'm not really used to entrusting my ex-boyfriend with my problems." She countered sharply. Sora placed his rather soft, yet strong hands on her shoulder, "I'm not forcing you to trust me. That's something you'll re-develop on your own pace. For now, I just want to help you and make you smile. That's what I promised from the start. Will you at least let me do that?"

She sighed as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It was win-win for her either way. "Sure. I appreciate you resolving this problem... it probably would've bothered me the whole day!" She rubbed the back of her head in embarassment for her honesty.

Sora gave her his signature grin, but on the inside, he was actually very insecure. There was no doubt he would support Kairi until the very end, but it wasn't going to be very easy from Palumpolum.

**[ Hospital ]**

"-and I'm _really _sorry, Selphie." Finished an apologetic Hayner. The look on his face begged for forgiveness. He sat on the edge of her bed, friendly stroking the palm of her hand.

Selphie looked so much healthier from when he discovered her lying on the bathroom floor yesterday. Yesterday, she looked like a zombie. Now, with the help of technology and the magic of a few potions, Selphie was nursed back to health. Although, she had to put on a few pounds and get more nutrients inside of her.

"I _will_ forgive you since I'm not a bitch, Hayner." Selphie then narrowed her eyes, "But I have to let you know that what you did was wrong."

"I know," He grumbled, "I was just joking. I didn't know the power of my words. And honestly, you were never fat."

"And honestly, you're not the only reason for my stupidity." Selphie confessed. Hayner's brows rose, "Really?" Her green eyes then started to sparkle. Hayner knew that look- almost every girl had that look on their face, "Let me guess... there's a guy involved? You don't have to tell me who it is. I don't really think I deserve your trust."

"You're right. You don't." Selphie teased, "Tell you what. You can gain it back by being my personal slave for a week." The gamer let out a heavy sigh, "Fine, fine. I'll do anything but dress up like a prostitute. Oh, _and_ buy you tampons! NEVER AGAIN." She laughed when she remembered the Olette incident, "Deal."

He shook her hand, "Are we good now? Friends?" She grinned, "Friends."

The Hikari household (even Riku) cooed from the door. Olette was the most impressed, though. When Hayner exited the room, she glomped him into a proud hug. Kairi was the last one up. She entered the room and shut the door behind her. She locked eyes with Selphie for a split second.

"So Sora tells me you two are friends again." Selphie begun with a smile, bringing up Cloud wasn't a very goo idea, "I swear, he is the sweetest guy _ever_."

"Is this your attempt to change the subject?" Kairi said in a playful tone. "It wouldn't be an attempt if it worked." Selphie winked.

"Selph," Her best friend cautiously approached her, "I'm not here to scold you. I'm going to teach you something." Her green eyes flickered, "You're not gonna teach me how to dougie like Axel did are you?"

"Axel's retarded." Kairi deadpanned, "And no. I'm going to teach you something I learned." Kairi patted one of Selphie's hands to comfort her. She was so glad Kairi wasn't angry with her. "First of all, why didn't you tell me you were doing something so stupid? I'm your _best friend_- you know you can tell me _anything_."

"You were going to get angry." The dirty blonde pouted like a child getting punished by their mother.

"I'll admit I am a little angry," Kairi mirrored her face, "But I'm more disappointed that you did this out of your lack of self-confidence. Selphie, why did you let Hayner get to you? What he says means nothing. What matters is what you think of yourself. In all my years that I've known you, I've never seen you so broken... remember when you injured those people who teased us with skipping ropes when we were kids?_ That_ was the strong Selphie I knew. She stood up for herself _and_ her best friend. Where is she? And I know Tidus has something to do with this. You tried to make yourself thinner and prettier for him, didn't you?"

Selphie nodded in defeat.

"That's where you went wrong," And thus Kairi's wise lesson began, "Selphie, you were already perfect the way you were. You don't need to change because the media says so, or anyone says so. You are you. That won't change. Why would you need to change if Tidus already befriended who you were before? And Selphie, there's a difference between pretty and beautiful. Pretty is just a person's outer appearance. Everyone can be pretty. It can decay overtime. No one can be pretty forever. But being beautiful is _eternal_. Selph, beauty lies inside if you and it will never disappear. _That's_ what you should use to impress a guy. Sure, make-up can help people feel and look beautiful, but it makes us lose the true meaning of beauty. I know we both like to wear make-up, but the make-up we should wear everyday is _confidence_. Do you understand?"

Sora grinned from the doorway. Roxas started bawling.

"Wow," Selphie put on the most beautiful smile, a sign that she understood, "Sora's got one hell of a girl." Kairi punched her arm lightly then leaned in for a hug. "You are the bestest friend _ever_." Selphie squeezed her even tighter. A knock on the door distracted them from their teenage girl moment.

"Is it my turn?"

Selphie's heart skipped a beat when she discovered the source of the voice. It was none other than her childhood friend, Tidus Clearwater- one of the very reasons that she was in the hospital.

"Just in time, Tidus." Kairi pulled away and gave Selphie a wink, "Good luck." At the doorway, Sora was giving her a thumbs up. Selphie returned the gesture. "Why are you guys letting her do this?" Hayner asked angrily, "You're setting her up for rejection!"

"It's better if she lets it out." More advice from Axel of all people, "She'll learn to move on." Xion felt like Axel's words applied to her.

"Besides," Kairi placed a hand upon the door, "We'll be there when she cries, won't we?" Sora leaned against the wall beside her, "Of course." And surely enough, when ten minutes passed and Tidus exited the room with a sad smile on his face, Sora and Kairi entered the room to comfort a teary Selphie.

_"If you get hurt, which you might (just saying), you can come to me, all right?" To his surprise, Selphie did not yell in protest like he expected. Instead, she placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled, "You're a good guy. You really do belong with Kairi."_

* * *

_"Hey, isn't that's her? Kairi Lovelock?"_

_"Yeah, Cloud Strife confessed that he was dating Tifa Lockhart. He cheated on her."_

_"Poor girl. So weak and hopeless. Now she can only turn to her friends. I bet she's using Sora for comfort since he's hopelessly in love with her."_

She growled as a few girls in the corner of the hospital gossiped about her, thinking she couldn't hear. Kairi had the ears of an assassin. Why people kept gossiping about her in the hospital, she'd never know. But she did know that these girls were making her angry. _Stupid judgmental bitches..._ She didn't let her anger sidetrack her, though. She spotted the person she was searching.

"Tidus." Just as he was about to exit the hospital, Kairi called him from the end of the corridor. "If you're here to bash on me-" The shaggy blond was cut short. "I'm not," Kairi reassured, "I just want to know how it went. I mean, come on, my best friend just confessed unrequited love. I _gotta_ know how _that_ went." Considering that they were dicussing the issue right in front of a hospital, Tidus suggested, "I'll tell you- say, over a cup of coffee?"

**KH Cafe**

Kairi sipped on her paopu macchiato in content. The warm, milky liquid sent a delightful feeling in her stomach. "So," She placed the medium sized cup on the mahogany table, "What exactly did she say to you?" Tidus waved his tongue around- one would guess that he burnt his tongue. Then he cleared his throat in order to pull of the highest voice pitch possible, "I... I'm in love with you, Tidus Clearwater."

Kairi gave him a 'whoa' expression- both because of what he said and his voice pitch, "That's... bold. Were you flabbergasted when she told you?"

His hardened fingers tapped against his cappuccino, "I always kinda knew. But if you ask me, she's not really in love with me like she says. She's just... infatuated. After all, back home, I'm the guy who hangs out with her the most. Plus I _am_ the cutest guy on Destiny Islands." She couldn't help but laugh at his false cockiness. Although, Kairi agreed with his argument, "Well, what did you tell her?"

_Besides, when Sora was around, **he** was the cutest guy on the island,_ Kairi thought secretly.

"When she told me, I told her that I was flattered. Then I reminded her about Yuna." Kairi made a face that looked like she had just sucked on a lemon. "I know, I know, harsh, but I'll have you know I got sensetive after that. I gave her this speech telling her that she was a very special person and that there was someone out there made for her- I told her it wasn't me, but whoever that guy would be would be the luckiest guy in the world."

Kairi claimed Tidus ripped those lines off a movie and threw a sugar pack at him.

"Hey!" He protested, "In my defense, those lines came from my heart." Kairi quit the sugar throwing and stuck her tongue out playfully, "I know. Good job, Tidus." Just as Kairi was gathering her things in her purse, getting ready to leave, Tidus stopped her. "Kairi, before I forget, I should let you know that Yuna and Paine are sick."

"Okay." Kairi tried her best to sound like she cared. Tidus saw right through it, "This relates to you, you know."

"How?"

"Kairi, can you do me a favour?"

She asked him for specific conditions. He elaborated, "Yuna and Paine can't perform. There are two empty slots in The Gullwings and, if it isn't too much trouble... I need you to perform with me on Battle of The Bands this Saturday. You and Selphie, that is." She frowned at him, "Selphie just got out of the hospital. A little inconsiderate, don't you think?"

"Her being in the hospital wasn't part of my intentions," He said, "Besides, she already agreed to it when I asked her in the hospital. She told me it was a favour she was willing to do since I was so honest with my feelings towards her." She sipped her macchiato once more, thinking over the situation. She would be up against Cloud and Sora. On Sora's birthday on top of that. "What's the challenge this week?"

"Electronic. We need to perform a song that has sounds instruments don't normally make." He answered. _So in other words, you'll have to be one hell of a sound synthesizer._ Kairi bit her lip- the odds were definetely in Hayner's favour this week. "Why me? I can't go against the other bands."

"Kairi, I've seen you dance before- it comes so naturally to you. And Sora keeps telling me how you sing like an angel." Tidus' lips formed a dirty smirk, "And like Yuna, you're hot. Many guys adore you on this island. That's sure to get their votes and attention." Kairi narrowed her eyes at his objectifying, but nonetheless continued to think it over.

She thought of what those girls said about her in the hospital. So she was weak and hopeless? Not only that, but everyone was beginning to judge her relationship with Sora. If she joined forces with Tidus and gave an extraordinary performance with Selphie, the island would see her as a carefree girl who was strong enough to let her problems go. No, no. Forget the superficial island. This was for her own dignity. Her mind was set on that path.

"I'm in."

"Excellent." Tidus shook her hand to confirm their bond. "So how will this work?" Kairi questioned, "I'm just following Sora's logic here, but... the way they usually get votes is by making the audience laugh. I'm more of a laugh at jokes kinda person than make them." Tidus looked at her as if she had it all wrong, "Oh no no, Kairi. I don't see this challenge as an opportunity to get comedic. I see it as an opportunity to get sexy."

x

When Roxas opened the beach house door, he came in contact with a rather muscular man. In fact, he rammed straight into their well built chest. "Whoa," He eyed the man up and down in a non-homosexual way, "I don't think I paid for you." Axel whispered discreetly, "You make it sound like he's a gigolo." The blond shook off his best friend with a chuckle.

"WHOA," Hayner was more shocked than Roxas was, "What's with the muscle?" Namine peered at the man from behind Roxas- he looked so intimidating it made her want to hide behind her boyfriend again.

"Dude," Sora was the only one who wasn't afraid, "You're blocking the door. Who are you?"

"I'm Terra Bellecotte, your household's new bodyguard." He said deeply. The guys (even Riku) shivered at his maturity and masculinity. He made Riku look scrawny.

"Bodyguard?" The emo king himself spat, "That's kind of insulting. We can take care of ourselves." Aqua laughed as if it was some sick joke, but no one else was laughing. "I've been given strict orders by Mr. Strife to protect the members of your household due to the incident in the Hunger Games. Security levels have been highly upgraded. Each household receives a bodyguard for protection."

"Cloud sent you?" Roxas asked in disbelief. Terra merely shook his head, "Solice." Cloud's brother.

**Hikari Household, Oathkeeper Practice Room**

"Birth By Sleep?" Sora joined Hayner who was playing with his PSP upside down- he too, turned himself upside down. Axel had called in a mandatory practice. Those who didn't show up would face a fate worse than death. "Yup." His mouth popped as he annunciated. Sora watched in disbelief as the character on the screen did something unbelievable.

"What the _hell_?" The brunet looked annoyed, "Their keyblades turn into flying vehicles? !_ Just _by hitting their pauldron? Way to kick Kingdom Hearts II in the balls."

"Aren't you supposed to be with your bffl Kairi?" Hayner was getting a little irritated that someone was distrubing him during his game time.

"Can't. She's out with Tidus."

Axel cleared his throat to gain their attention, "Are you ladies done?" Hayner and Sora looked up to be greeted by a very sophisticated looking Axel. The upside down green teardrops he usually drew on his cheeks with green guyliner were replaced with rectangular framed glasses. It was such a small accessorry, but it made such a huge difference to compliment his face. Although, he still kept his badboy getup and bandana.

"Now that we're all here," The pyromaniac continued (Sora and Hayner hadn't even noticed Roxas and Riku enter the room), "Let's talk statistics."

Roxas chuckled, "Ooh, big word. What's the meaning of _statistics_, Axel?" His best friend pushed up his glasses for a smarter effect, "I have no idea. Anyway, I've done some research-" Everyone looked at him as if he were doing drugs. He rolled his seductive green eyes, "Yes, Axel did research."

Out of nowhere, he pulled out a chart with the island's population over the past week and pinned it up to the wall, "As we all know, Seifer's an ass who supposedly shot Sora. Ever since that happened, one fourth of the island turned into wimps and decided to go home. This leaves us with a smaller audience. Smaller audience equals less votes. Who knows what I'm getting at?"

Sora raised his hand as if he were a student, "This means we have to step up our game even more."

The drummer gave him a thumbs up, "Good job Hikari! I don't have any gold stars, so... for your reward, you get to have sex with Kairi!" He dodged the amplifier thrown at him.

"Moving on," The redhead regained his composure, "So, the audience knows us as being two things. Comedic and badass, and they _love_ that. So with that being said, I have come to a decision. The song we're doing this week is Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship."

Now Roxas raised his hand (Riku scoffed at their immaturity to keep the act going), "We have two problems with that. One, that song isn't even remotely funny. At all. And two, there's a girl vocal in that song. If you haven't noticed, we're all guys."

"Roxas my friend, I have but only one answer for both those problems." Spinning on Axel's finger was a sparkly pink bra- he looked directly at Roxas while doing this. The poor sunkist blond gulped as his best friend winked at him. With a frown, he turned to his twin brother, jaw agape with his head shaking. The look on his face said, _'This better be the best performance of your life.'_

* * *

**Clearwater Residence (the next day)**

"And... cut!" When Tidus raised his hand, every instrument stopped in synchronization and Kairi, Selphie and Rikku struck a finishing pose. They were to be the three lead girls.

Out of breath from practicing all day long, Kairi collapsed onto the couch, "I've never felt so frustrated in my life..." From his drumset, Wakka negotiated with his thick accent, "Frustrated? That rehearsal was perfect, yeah!" Tidus suggested they wrap up for the day.

After a sneeze and a sniffle, Yuna clapped her hands weakly, "You girls are so cute and se- _achoo_!"

Despite that Yuna had the boy of her dreams, Selphie offered her a tissue. Yuna thanked her and blew her nose, "You were amazing, Selphie." The hyperactive girl looked as if she had never been to the hospital at all. _Technology these days_, Yuna marvelled. "Thanks," She winked as she were over the whole situation.

"Why so agitated Kai?" Tidus collapsed next to her, "Not used to sweating like this?" She groaned, "We live on _Destiny Islands_. You sweat even when the AC is on. But that's not the problem..." Selphie placed an iced water bottle to her best friend's forehead, "What's bothering you Kairi?"

"It's Sora's birthday tomorrow and I don't know what to get him..." The claret head confessed, "He's done so much for me and... I... I just don't know how to pay him back."

Tidus opened his mouth as if to say something but Kairi raised a hand in his face to stop him, "_Not_ birthday sex, Tidus. Or anything that involves me taking my clothes off." Selphie grinned- not because of the joke, but because Kairi was thinking of Sora and not of Cloud. The attractive brunet did well to keep her mind off the heir.

"Why don't you make him something, yeah?" Wakka suggested.

Kairi chewed on her bottom lip, "I'm not good with arts and crafts. Besides, I wouldn't even know what to make him."

"You know," From behind the camera, Pence began to speak. The chubby cameraman was ordered to film Kairi and Selphie for more footage, "You should try making him food. Did you know that whatever emotion you put into making food, that's the emotion people feel when they eat it?"

Rikku sighed lovingly, "So if Kairi makes a cake filled with love, Sora will love her in return? Ooh, and you should fill them with those starry destiny fruits you have on your island! That's so romantic!"

"Guys, I don't see him that way." Kairi mumbled. Everyone scoffed in disbelief. "Besides," Tidus snickered, "Sora's already in love with her. No cookies are gonna make a difference." Everyone looked at Kairi expecting a retort, but instead she looked deep in thought.

"It's a worth a shot... Sora loves cupcakes, and I'm not as bad as him when it comes to cooking," She gleamed, "Why not?"

**In the kitchen**

_Love and gratitude, love and gratitude,_ Kairi repeated in her head, _Just fill these cupcakes with love and gratitude_.

In front of her was Tidus' counter filled with baking supplies. Tied around Kairi's waist was an apron that read 'Kiss The Cook', but no guy would dare to considering who they were up against- the infamous Sora Hikari. Selphie and Tidus were there to support her with Pence still filming. With a determined smirk, Kairi slammed her fist onto the counter, "All right, this should be easy!"

Her failure was foreshadowed with the dozen eggs she had just crushed.

_30 minutes later_

"WHY IS COOKING SO DAMN HARD? !" Kairi yelled at a whisk, expecting it to reply, "Why do you hate me?" The whole kitchen was remodeled- it was entirely engulfed in flour.

Tidus took a strand of his flowy surfer hair and thought out loud, "How does white hair look on me?" Kairi whacked him across the head with her mixing bowl, "Tidus, stop mocking Hope! We need to focus on- whaa, no!"

The batter had fallen onto the floor. The three teens slipped and landed on their butts. "And I thought this stuff only happened in the movies," Selphie carefully removed the poorly made chocolate batter out of her hair, "If you say you're better than Sora, I really don't want to see that boy cook."

Tidus chuckled as he rinsed his hair free of egg yolk, "You really don't. Poor guy can't even turn on the oven."

"Psh, I can do that." Kairi stood up and turned the knob for the oven atop the stove. The people in the kitchen applauded until the screaming of a banshee was heard. It didn't take them long to realize that it came from the oven. "What's in the oven?" The look on Selphie's face said she really didn't want to find out.

Tidus gulped, "Adamantite."

"WHAT THE HELL IS ADAMANTITE DOING IN THE OVEN?" Yelled a fearful Kairi.

"I-I was trying to make Yuna a solid metal vase out of adamantite because I didn't want to be cliche and give her flowers so I hid it in there but I forgot-" Tidus was cut short by a slap in the face, "Just go get the extinguisher!" Kairi demanded. Wakka became the hero with the extinguisher but slipped on the batter Kairi had spilled. The foam sprayed all over the kitchen.

"Love and gratitude!" Kairi began hyperventilating, "Love and gratitude!"

Just as everyone expected the oven to explode, the banshee screaming stopped. "Smart ones, did you ever consider turning off the oven?" Said an intimidating voice.

"Irvine," Tidus attempted to greet him casually although he was smothered in flour, eggs and foam, "When did you get here?"

"Just now. I heard screaming from next door and decided to come to the rescue." With a victorious smirk, Irvine lifted his cowboy hat to reveal his exuberant Axel-like eyes. His smirk and eyes did well to compliment each other. He flaunted his taupe trench coat and kneeled down, offering Selphie a hand. "Hey, cutie. Name's Irvine."

She took his gloved hand and blushed as he winked at her, "S-Selphie."

Kairi and Tidus secretly gave each other a high five- at least one good thing came out of their disaster.

* * *

"What a day!" An exhausted Kairi released an exasperated sigh, "And after all that, I _still_ don't have a present for Sora!" A squeaky clean Selphie skipped next to her, "What are you talking about? You made him such lovely cupcakes!"

Kairi held up a bag of what looked like dog crap. Nonetheless, it was better than nothing, which was probably what Kairi was going to give him a month prior to the island's events. Even a bag of crap was enough to symbolize how much they've grown together.

_Which is why I need to get him something better,_ After Kairi and Selphie cleaned up at Tidus' house, they began their journey home. To get to their house, they needed to pass through a series of shops. It was almost like a bazaar, but it had more of a baroque italian theme to it. It was a street meant for the richest teenagers.

"Don't worry," Selphie gave her a small wink, "Don't tell anyone, but before Aqua almost got Sora killed, we planned a surprise party for Sora and Roxas in the backyard. It's gonna be _huge!_ We have a DJ, a stage, lights and everything!"

Kairi's jaw dropped- how could such a plan be hid from her? The largest party of the island was going to be held at her house and she didn't even know! She was thankful, though. Now Sora had something better to look forward to other than her crappy cupcakes.

It was sunset when they arrived at the bazaar, and even then there were still people strolling around, most of which were couples. Selphie watched them with smiles on their faces- it was better than the gloomy look she held before. "Okay, you are _so_ into Irvine."

"Am not!" Selphie stuck out her tongue, "Okay, okay. I'll be mature an admit that he is pretty cute." Kairi punched a fist into the air, "I knew it! My dear Selphie's crazy for a new guy!"

With a peculiar look on her face, Selphie pointed up ahead, "Speaking of crazy..."

Next to a music shop, a group of squealing girls were bunched up against the window of a jewelry store. When the two best friends cut through the crowd to see what they were marvelling about, they were greeted by a very exquisite looking necklace. It clearly wasn't for women, but it sure caught their eye just the same as any other necklace would.

It was a simple crown on a chain, but its reflection was crystal clear. Kairi could see herself perfectly. Something about was so mesmerizing, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. "Why are a bunch of girls going crazy over a guy necklace?"

"Because!" One of the fangirls sighed lovingly, "Sora Hikari came by this shop and stared at this very necklace for two whole minutes!"

_Sora wants this?_ Kairi tapped her chin, _It suits him, and it would be WAY better than my lousy cupcakes... _

"And what?" Selphie placed her hands on her hips, "You're all buying it for him?" A girl with pink hair reviled Selphie's logic, "Please, only one of us will give it to him. It's his birthday tomorrow, and the girl who gives that necklace to him is sure to be loved."

"How much is it?" Kairi, with a serious look on her face, asked a kind faced blonde. Selphie didn't catch what she said, but since Kairi stared back at her with her mouth agape, she could tell it wasn't cheap.

"F-Five thousand munny?" Kairi uttered. They were in the rich italian baroque bazaar, after all.

"What's this?" The same pink haired girl snickered, "The poor, heartbroken Kairi Lovelock of Destiny Islands can't buy her ex-boyfriend a measly necklace worth five thousand munny? Or will you have to ask your other ex-boyfriend Cloud Strife to do you a pity favour?"

Kairi held back the urge to pounce on her like a wildcat. "Back off," Selphie hissed. Kairi smiled regardless- her strong bff was back.

"Now, is there any way to get a discount on this thing?" Selphie questioned a random guy in the crowd. She assumed he was either gay or with his girlfriend. "That's why we're all here," He replied, "There's a competition to see who gets the discount."

"Competition?" Kairi asked innocently. Suddenly an employee walked out of the jewelry store, and judging by her golden nametag, her name was Ashe. She ordered them to form a circle around her, which they immediately complied to.

"All right ladies!" (The only guy in the crowd coughed but Ashe paid no mind to him) She called with a feminine but stern voice, "Here's the deal. To get the discount on that necklace over there, you'll have to answer every question on this magazine correctly. First one to get every question correct wins. "

Ashe held up the latest Battle of The Bands magazine to reveal a page that read _'How well do you know Oathkeeper's drop dead gorgeous lead singer?' _with an attractive picture of Sora carrying a guitar on the corner.

"A multiple choice Sora quiz?" Kairi sweatdropped, "Seriously?" Selphie was practically laughing- these girls stood no chance against Kairi.

Again, the pink haired girl complied, "Let's see you try then, ex-girlfriend." With confidence, Kairi tossed her purse to the side and stepped into the circle, "I'll do it." Girls around them began gossiping quietly. Ashe nodded, "Fine, all right."

"That's not fair! She's his ex-girlfriend!" The not-very-kind blonde now exclaimed. Ashe shushed her, "That's not against the rules." Clearing her throat, she began to read the questions on the page, word for word. In all honesty, Ashe just wanted Kairi to win.

"Who is Sora's twin brother?"

"Roxas."

"Please, that was so obvious!" A fangirl yelled. Ashe stopped the whispering by blowing a whistle around her neck, "I assure you these questions will get harder. Now, number two, Sora was born in what world? A, -"

"Destiny Islands."

"What cell phone did Sora have two years ago?"

"Guardian Soul 2G."

"What are the last four digits of Sora's cell phone number?"

"2436."

"What's Sora's favourite colour?"

"Blue." Ashe was about to correct her, but Kairi specified, "_Ocean _blue."

"What hair colour does he prefer on women?"

"He likes dark hair." Kairi stared daggers at the pink haired chick when she answered this.

"His sexual fantasy?"

_What the hell are people asking these days?_ "To freeze time."

"_Other_ than PE, what subject does Sora surprisingly major in?"

"Chemistry."

"His real father's first name?"

"Vanitas."

"His most embarassing secret?"

"He thought the lead singer of Tokio Hotel was a girl and had a crush on him."

"And lastly..." Ashe added suspense by prolonging the final question. Every girl prayed Kairi would get the next question wrong. "What month is his anniversary with his ex-girlfriend?" Everyone in the crowd groaned- they were doomed. This one hit Kairi right in the heart.

"A-August."

Selphie could see how emotional Kairi was getting. To calm her down, she handed back her purse and held her shoulder.

"Well," Ashe shut the magazine, "That was rather impressive. I didn't even have to read out the choices." She led the two girls into the shop and closed the doors on the mob of girls complaining outside.

"So how much will it be?" Kairi pulled out her long, pink wallet and began to count her bills, "And _please_ don't give it to me for free. I can't give him a present out of pity."

"My, my Ms. Lovelock, you really know how to read people," Ashe took the necklace off the display case and carefully placed it into a velvet box, "Strong, too. To face all those fangirls _and_ have the guts to show them up? It's no wonder Sora's still after you." After tieing an ocean blue ribbon around the package, Ashe finalized, "One thousand five hundred munny."

"Thanks." Kairi slapped her munny onto the counter, _Love and gratitude... love and gratitude..._

* * *

There were many things Roxas liked waking up to- his girlfriend lying peacefully beside him, the smell of waffles in the morning- but his best friend clad in only a towel on top of him was definetely _not_ one of them.

"HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY, ROXIE!" Axel yipped, bouncing on the bed on all fours. The blond rose immediately and scurried away from his bed. Heaven forbid if Namine had walked in and saw him with a half-naked Axel on top of him.

"Axel!" Roxas scolded, "Why the hell are you in my room... half naked? ! A-And you still have shampoo suds in your hair!"

The pyromaniac looked at him as if what he had done was completely normal, "Oh, when I was taking a shower this morning, I suddenly remembered that it was your birthday so I rushed over here so I could be the first one to greet you in person!"

_I should've never given this idiot the spare key,_ "You couldn't have waited until you were done showering? People could have seen you! That's bad publicity for us!"

Axel flicked his hand away from his face, "Please, there were barely any people out there."

Hayner came barging in the room, flaunting his fancy electric device in the best friend's faces, "I _cannot _believe you did this! On the night of our performance, no less! It's already all over the island!" On the screen was a picture of Axel running down the street, his towel nowhere in sight. Axel's private area was censored, of course. Roxas glared at him.

"I-I went back to get it!" Axel said proudly, pointing at the yellow cloth around his manhood, "Remember, comedic and badass! I'm just living up to our audience's expectations!"

A knock on the door forced the teenage boys to straighten themselves out. At Roxas' door was Namine, hollering at her boyfriend. With a grin, he ran to her and twirled her in her arms, kissing her lips. Hayner and Axel were forced to look away. "Happy Birthday Roxas," Namine greeted, nervous to call him by any cute names, "I have a present for you downstairs, a-and I made you breakfast. You like waffles don't you?"

"Oh, baby," He stole a chaste kiss from her lips again, "I love them. I love _you_. Thank you."

x

"Happy Birthday, Sora and Roxas!"

When the twins walked downstairs, pampered and ready for the day, the whole household was there to greet them with smiling faces. The closest Riku came to a smile was the corner of his lips twitching. "Guys, you didn't have to get us anything," Roxas gave them a nervous smile.

"No need to get modest and dramatic now, Roxie." From behind Sora, he shoved a fairly large present in Roxas' face, "Happy Birthday baby brother!"

"Six minutes of your life you'll never let go." Roxas sweat dropped, "But thanks."

"Open it Roxie, open it!" Axel cheered like a japanese school girl. The twins plopped down on the couch, surrounded by beautifully wrapped presents. They hadn't expected everyone to get them a present, considering that they only knew each other for a month, but it seemed they were closer than they thought.

Roxas opened Sora's present first, dropping his jaw in awe, "Sora, no."

"Roxie, yes." His older brother beamed. Roxas stared at his new oblivion electric guitar in awe. It had the sharpest, cleanest edges he had ever seen. _So that's what Sora got at the music store yesterday... he must've seen the necklace on his way home._ Kairi thought logically.

"I think I'm in love." Roxas sighed in delight. Namine cleared her throat. Their little audience laughed. Aqua, from a fair distance, filmed their festivities. It was the closest she had ever seen them.

"Ooh, time for his girlfriend's present," Sora rose his brows suggestively, "Should we get out of here just in case Namine starts to get naked?"

She turned beet red and handed her boyfriend a rather large package wrapped in paper she had drawn on herself. On the wrapping paper was a montage of her memories with Roxas, each telling a different story.

"Oh, Avielle," He pouted (shivers went up her spine when he used her other name), "I don't want to rip up such beautiful pa-" Axel had already ripped it for him in excitement. Everyone let out the occassional 'ooh' and 'aah'.

Roxas received a skateboard from his beloved, only that the painting on the bottom was made by Namine herself. "Oh, Nami..."

Once Roxas leaned in, everybody cleared their throats. "Let Sora open some presents, damnit!" Complained an impatient Axel. Everyone looked at him oddly- it wasn't even his birthday. Kairi would've offered to go first but personally, she wanted to give it to Sora when they were alone.

Unexpectedly, Riku went first. Everyone tried their hardest not to gawk- even Ventus, from behind a bush, had a hard time trying not to drop the camera. He dropped a large gift bag in front of the twin's faces and went back to his seat without saying another word. Xion was impressed at her best friend's generosity. Roxas and Sora used their twin telepathy to communicate with each other.

_What do you think it is? _Roxas thought nervously.

_I don't know, but you open it! If I open it, a black hole of emoness might suck me in!_ Sora countered.

_Nice to know you care about your baby brother. Okay, we'll both open it! 3, 2, 1..._ The Hikari twins pulled on the flaps at the same time, holding their breath. "Riku..." The older twin felt tears welling up in his eyes. Sora pulled out a Justin Bieber pinata whereas Roxas pulled out a blue struggle bat.

"Thank you!" They squawked in delight. Selphie took offense and crossed her arms. She was one of the girls that had 'Bieber Fever'.

"Permission to touch you in a non-homosexual way?" Sora offered his hand to the albino haired boy. With a deep sigh, he shook his hand. Everyone died.

"H-Happy Birthday, Sora." Namine shyly handed Sora an envelope and bowed respectfully. He thanked her as he ripped the bottom open with his teeth, "Gee, thanks Namine for the... sticker?" She giggled at his lack of knowledge, "I designed it myself."

In Sora's hand was a metallic crown shaped sticker- he looked at it intently. "You can put it on my present," With a cackle, Roxas tossed his brother a pair of keys. It took him a few seconds to register what the keys meant.

"Roxie, NO. NO NO NO NO. RETURN IT. NOW."

His twin looked at him smugly, "All right, I guess I'll tell Ignis to return the latest _Ultima motorcycle _in _cherry red _to the official Shinra company and-" Without another word, Sora zoomed past him and kicked down the garage door.

* * *

**7:09pm, backstage**

In no time, it was already evening and the MC's (Vaan and Zidane) were up on the stage, announcing who was still in the BOTB competition. Now only four bands were left to battle for the crown; The Oathkeepers, The Advent Children, Fabula Nova Crystallis and The Gullwings. The Oathkeepers were scheduled to go first.

"Does he know you're performing tonight?" From behind a curtain, Tidus and Kairi were secretively speaking. Kairi shook her head. Tidus gave her a wink, "Then this will be one hell of a birthday surprise for him. You look amazing." After nodding in thanks, Kairi emerged from the curtain. She had been stalling the whole day, waiting for the oppurtune moment to give Sora his present.

She clutched the velvet box to her chest, deciding whether or not she should approach him. He looked busy with Hope's household wishing him a happy birthday. _It's now or never_, Kairi thought with determination, _I might lose him at the party later. I have to do this now._

She walked up to him, and to her surprise, Hope's household scurried away to give them some privacy. But before Snow was hauled away by Lightning, he advised them to use protection. It earned him a slap in the face from the sergeant.

"K-Kairi," Sora seemed at a loss for words.

He eyed her from top to bottom, taking in her appearance. She wore a pink sweater that exposed her shoulders as well as a leather vest overtop to compliment her curves, a fairly short denim skirt that exposed her creamy legs _very_ well and her usual pink shoes that tied ribbons around her ankles. Her hair was edgy and teased and she wore make-up that made her look sweet, but dangerous.

"You're so..." He couldn't find the right, respectful words, but they went somewhere along the lines of _hot, sexy... desirable_. "Pretty."

"Thanks," She looked flattered by the blush on his cheeks.

"A-Anyway, what are you doing back here?"

Her face fell at the sight Sora's twin brother before she could even give him the present, "First of all, wh-why's Roxas wearing my bra?"

Vaan called out The Oathkeepers, which was Sora's cue to leave.

"Sorry Kairi, we'll talk later all right? And I'm apologizing in advance for Axel- he snuck into your room and stole your bra!"

"And you have bigger breasts than I thought, Kairi." Axel winked. She slapped him across the face. It wasn't obvious due to her make-up, but Kairi was _really_ embarassed.

She watched Sora's performance from backstage, thoroughly impressed with the first half. Hayner did an extraordinary job with synthesizing and lights like she expected, and at the rate Axel was going, it looked like he was about to break the drumset. And of course, Sora looked attractive in his black wife beater and ripped jeans, wearing motor gauntlets to add more to the 'bad boy' effect. He shredded on his guitar like there was no tomorrow.

She then understood why Roxas was wearing her sparkly pink bra.

When it was time for the female vocal to come in, Roxas emerged from a secret chamber underneath the stage wearing nothing but a bra and a miniskirt. The crowd went wild. Roxas could sing surprisingly high- he was on tune, too. His six pack was just as impressive as his brother's. Hot bodies must have been a big heredity in their family.

By the end of the song, girls were draping themselves on the edge of the stage. When the boys reached backstage and gave each other high fives, it was Kairi's cue to leave. Sora walked up to her, wondeirng where she was off to.

"Kairi, where are you going?" The look of fear was evident on Sora's face. He really hoped Kairi wouldn't say- "I'm substituting Yuna for The Gullwings." _Damnit_.

"The Gullwings get on the stage immediately, please." Said Cissnei, the woman in charge backstage. Kairi waved goodbye shyly and made her way towards the stage. "Time to show Cloud what he's missed out on!" Selphie punched a fist in the air enthusiastically and helped the band set up. While Tidus' band set up, Roxas and Sora were having a very serious talk.

"Have you told her yet?" Roxas asked while fumbling with the clasp of his bra. It was hard for his brother to take him seriously after they had just felt each other up on stage.

"It would break her heart as much as it breaks mine," Sora mumbled. Roxas disapproved, "She'll eventually find out, Sora. She'll wake up one day and realize that you're gone. You're leaving_ tomorrow_, Sora. You have to tell her tonight. I'll take responsibility for telling Axel."

"Roxas," His twin said sternly, "How old are we now?" Roxas replied 18. Sora nodded, "That's right. We're adults now- we're old enough to make our own decisions. And my decision is that I'm staying. Seriously, when have our parents ever thought about our feelings? They_ seperated _us, Roxas. They didn't even care how we felt about that! They didn't care that their fighting kept us up half the night! They just ripped us apart! They _destroyed _our family! Why would dad care now?"

"Sora, seperated or not, they're our parents! They love us! Dad just wants you to go home- there's less danger in Palumpolum!"

"Seifer's gone- what danger is there here? !" The brothers were practically nose to nose, getting in each other's faces.

"Hey, hey!" Axel pulled them apart to talk some sense into them, "Calm down! Guys, it's your birthday! It comes only once a year- you don't want to spend it fighting! Plus you haven't spent your birthday together in awhile! Make the best out of this, okay?"

Regaining their composure, the twins shook the other's hand though keeping decisive looks on their faces.

Roxas (trying to keep the serious look on his face) attempted to unclasp his bra again, finding no avail. "Tch, amateur."

Axel flicked the clasp- Roxas' bra fell to the floor. "How do you do that?" Roxas looked up at him in admiration. With a wink, the pyromaniac merely said, "Practice."

"Now for the second performance!" Zidane's voice boomed across the entire stadium, "This week, substituting for Yuna Simnel and Paine Murdoch are the infamous Kairi Lovelock and Selphie Tilmitt!" The crowd cheered as Kairi and Selphie made their appearance onstage. They kissed the crowd, acting innocent as Tidus instructed. Little did they know their presentation would be nowhere near innocent.

The stadium was illuminated with intense hot pink, bright white and electric blue. Selphie, Kairi and Rikku posed in the middle of the stadium. When Kairi appeared on the copious flat screens scattered around the ampitheatre, Sora's heart stopped beating. The cameras zoomed into her illuminated face- the neon colours had transformed her into someone viperous.

A techno beat began to blast through the speakers. Spotlights started flashing. After a few bars, Kairi held the mic up to her lips and seductively said, "I Like That". Along with many other guys in the crowd, it sent shivers down Sora's spine. He had never seen her in this state. Although it seemed selfish, he wanted to be the only one who saw this side of her.

The beats were increasing, the leads began moving and soon enough, the girls were singing and dancing in synchronization as if they were posessed- Kairi, especially. You could practically hear the sex in her voice- and no one was even synthesizing it!

The way she moved, the way she sang, the way she exposed herself to the audience... it was so much for Sora to take in. She wasn't the fourteen year old girl he knew anymore. Even Cloud, hiding amongst the shadows of the curtains tried not to gawk.

The beat matched the hard pumping of Sora's heart. Now Kairi was dancing with Tidus, looking confident as ever. She had so much fun onstage- Sora assumed it was because she was performing with her best friend. Or her love for dance. Kairi had always secretly loved to dance. And she was _hella good _at it.

When Tidus asked for sexy, he definetely got it.

When the song ended, it was clear that the crowd was far more impressed with The Gullwing's presentation. Even Axel had to agree. He was on his knees, jaw agape by the end of the number. Hayner's eyes bulged out of their sockets, his fingers paralyzed. His PSP had even fallen to the floor. Riku looked constipated- he was a teenage boy, after all.

Sora was so hypnotized that he didn't even notice Kairi in front of him. She was holding a velvet box in front of his face, still wearing a dirty smirk on her face. The confidence she had onstage hadn't worn off. She felt so good after that presentation. Her days of being weak were long gone. She felt braver than ever.

That's why she got on her toes and leaned in to kiss Sora's cheek, whispering a seductive "Happy Birthday" before shoving the present in his face.

**Hikari Household**

"Hot _damn._"

The instant The Oathkeepers stepped into the backyard, they were greeted by the biggest beach party among all words. 3OH3's "Double Vision" was blasting through the largest speakers known to man and there were teenagers dancing everywhere. There was a stage by the shore filled with party lights waving all over the place, the DJ positioned in the center. Atop the stage hung a banner that said 'Happy 18th Birthday Sora and Roxas!'. On the sand was a dance floor filled with panelled tiles that continuously changed colours.

But that was only the shore.

Their tennis court had turned into a bar, their jacuzzi filled with half-naked teenagers, the basketball court turned into a dance battle arena, people were destroying the Justin Bieber pinata on the field and the patio turned into a restaurant. Terra was spectating by the door. "Happy Birthday!" Selphie threw a handful of confetti in the twin's faces. She, along with Kairi had morphed into more appropriate girls. Selphie was now in a simple yellow dress.

Kairi, on the other hand, looked sweet as ever. She and the girl onstage were two completely different people. This Kairi was wearing a tight-fitting pink dress that went slightly above her knees. Unlike other dresses, the zipper was in the front. On her waist was an over sized black belt that matched the black straps on her shoulders. It looked much like the dress Sora bought her for her date with Cloud. Overtop, she wore a sleeveless black cardigan.

Her make-up was redone to make her look less dangerous and her hair was in loose curls to bring out her cute side. Sora was surprised to find that both girls weren't wearing any shoes. "It amazes me how you look good in everything, Kairi." Sora accidentally said out loud. She blushed and clutched her elbow to her side.

Axel slapped his back with a chuckle, "Smooth. Now, let's party gentlemen!" In one swift movement, the pyro pulled off his shirt and tossed it in a random direction, joining the grind line on the dance floor.

"Do you like it?" Selphie sung toward the twins, rocking back and forth on her heels. Roxas grinned, "We _love_ it. Thanks, Selphie. Now, have you seen my girlfriend?" A girl tapped his shoulder. He turned around to come face to face with a cute blonde in a tight fitting white dress. Her eyes sparkled white and baby blue, her pink, glossy lips curved into a happy yet nervous smile. Roxas had never seen his girlfriend so adorable.

"Nami," He caressed her face, "You didn't have to wear makeup and dress up for me." As he leaned in, Hayner begged them to get a room. Roxas merely stuck his tongue out at him, "We will, thank you!" Knowing that his girlfriend had a fear of parties, he lifted her up in his arms bridal style and carried her into the beach house.

"Aww, _cuuute_." Selphie cooed. Hayner had a 'yuck' expression on his face, "Aww, _puuke_."

Out of nowhere, Olette pounced on Hayner wearing nothing but an orange sundress. Even she didn't have any shoes on. "Let's go have some fun!" She squealed in delight before pulling him aside. Selphie, Kairi and Sora watched in disbelief. When they had first met Olette, they never imagined that she could be so carefree.

Damn, Hayner was good.

"Well I'll be leaving you two alone now." With a wink, Selphie skipped towards a young man with a cowboy hat and led him to the dance floor. Sora's eyebrows rose, "New guy already?" Kairi giggled, "She works fast." When her laughter died down, Kairi turned to Sora and placed her hands on his well built chest.

He decided to formalize himself a bit more by putting an unbuttoned white collared sweater over his black wife beater and ditching the motor gauntlets. Although, Sora wouldn't be Sora without his black skinny jeans and converse. He blushed at her gesture.

She then began to play with the chains of the necklace she bought him, "What a nice necklace, Sora. Where'd you get it?"

_Is she... flirting with me? _Sora asked himself. When she had left him backstage with the velvet box, he didn't hesitate to open it immediately. He was greeted by the best present of his life, and not just because it was from the love of his life. He had wanted the necklace so much when he first laid eyes on it, but he couldn't afford it. Was Kairi _that _rich? He decided not to question her generosity.

"Well," He also began to play with the chains, staring at Kairi's reflection off the crown, "This _really_ pretty girl got it for me. Maybe you know her. Her name's Kairi Lovelock." _This isn't right... I shouldn't be flirting back. I'm leaving tomorrow and... she has to know... _

She battered her eyelashes and chuckled, "I think I know her. I spoke to her a few minutes ago, and do you know what she said?"

Visions of Kairi's performance flashed into Sora's head. She was practically putty in his hands. He couldn't help but lean in so that his breath was right at her lips, "What did she say?" She shoved him away lightly then grabbed his wrist, "She wants to dance with the birthday boy."

He pulled her back, "Then I'll go get Roxas." She playfully shoved him again, "The _hotter_ one." Sora took playful offense and gasped, "Ouch." He allowed her to lead him to the dance floor. There was nothing like a good party to enlighten the spirit of any teenager.

Without a doubt, Sora knew this was going to be the best birthday of his life.

x

At the tiki themed bar, Xion and Axel were persuading Riku to drink. Other teenagers were chanting his name, begging him to take a sip of the drink in front of him. It was a can of Elixir, Axel's favourite drink. Even Snow was there, chanting like there was no tomorrow. Hope had already downed one drink as well as Vanille and Lightning. They really were amusing when they were drunk.

"Th-This isn't safe," Serah protested to her mid-drunken boyfriend, "Drinks aren't even allowed on the island!"

"You're allowed to buy them when you're over eighteen," Snow winked, then averted his attention back to the motionless Riku, "Come on emo boy! Live a little! Take a sip!" The chanting continued. Riku remained motionless. "You too chicken to drink?" Asked a teasing Axel. Larxene was at his side, obviously not drinking due to her 'condition'.

Riku scoffed, "Please. I'm not scared of a drink." Snow popped the tab and handed him the ice cold can, "Then drink up, Mr. Doom and Gloom." With a final glare, Riku accepted the can just for everyone around him to shut up. "Tch, this simple can of elixir will have no effect on me."

**1 minute later**

"I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH, I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH (JUST WHIP IT)! I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH (WHIP IT REAL GOOD)!"

* * *

By 2 in the morning, Sora was worn out from all the dancing and screaming. Music was still blaring from the speakers and teenagers were still going crazy. Out of fatigue, Sora decided to get a drink at the bar. Nothing alcoholic or ba for his system- he hated dealing with hangovers. He arrived at the bar without his white collared sweater- he lost it sometime while he was on the dancefloor. He had never danced so much in his life.

Sora's vision was so blurry that he didn't even notice Riku whipping his hair around. He ordered a coke zero and gulped it down, regaining his ability to see. Everything came back to focus. Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" began toplay, and among all the teenagers on the dance floor, Sora could easily recognize Kairi.

She was having so much fun, not technically _grinding_ with other people, but dancing rather close to them since the dancefloor was so jam-packed. When he was on the dance floor, he tried his best not to touch her so much. Although it was tempting, he knew it was wrong. She caught sight of him watching her and began to stagger towards him. She slammed into him, giggling for no apparent reason.

"Kairi, what did you drink?" Sora immediately noticed the difference in her behaviour. It wasn't caused by the thrill of her performance, but an alcoholic drink. It had to be. "You shouldn't be drinking. It's not good for you." He pouted- what could have caused his dear Kairi to do such a thing? The real Kairi he knew wouldn't dare touch alcohol.

"Let's go all the way tonight," She placed her arms around his neck, swayed and sang along to the music, "No regrets. Just love."

"Kairi, you're drunk." He tried prying her hands off of him although he didn't want to, "You don't know what you're doing."

Kairi looked him straight in the eye the entire time- her eyes were solid, "We can dance until we die. You and I. We'll be young forever."

She leaned in closer, but he refrained his lips from touching hers. This was so wrong. She _just_ found out her boyfriend was cheating on her the other day. They hadn't even officially broke up. _So tempting, _Sora but his lip, _But I can't... I don't want to... confuse her..._

"I'm not him." He whispered, referring to Cloud. Before the chorus, she leaned in regardless and said "I know" before crashing her lips onto his.

_"You make me feel like I'm living the teenage dream, the way you turn me on. I can't sleep, let's run away and don't ever look back, don't ever look back..."_

Sora's legs went numb. The lips he had been craving for so long were now willingly against his. _Th-This is wrong..._ oh, but it felt so right. He had never felt so needy in his life. He kissed back, capturing her lips with his own. As his right arm snaked around her waist, her right leg hooked around his waist. He held her leg in place, kissing her more desperately. She let out a sound between a moan and a whimper- it did nothing to help him stop.

He pulled away for air, and when he did, he still noticed Kairi looking him straight in the eye. She too, looked needy. And he wanted to satisfy that need and please her. He took her by the wrist and began leading her into the house, every step he made filled with regret.

But... he was just so driven. No one else existed anymore. It was just them. _Stupid teenage hormones... _

When they entered the beach house, Sora spun her around and began kissing her again- she complied as well. They had somehow made it to the third floor without breaking their kiss. Sora then pressed her up against the wall, hooking her right leg around his waist again. Her hands were entangled in his hair, massaging it. Kairi arched her back, giving him more access to her neck.

He trailed kisses down to her jaw, then half-sung half-hummed the song blaring from the speakers, "Amma get your heart racing in my skin tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight..." She did the same, "Let you put your hands on me in my skin tight jeans be your teenage dream tonight..."

_Stop, Sora, stop..._ he demanded, _You can't do this to her!_ But his pleas weren't enough to stop him from carrying Kairi into his room and shutting the door behind them.

* * *

**Remember, no sex :)**

**xoKyorii**


	22. Sora Hikari

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**PLACES:**

**Land of Departure**: The isolated, yet beautiful land that Ventus, Aqua and Terra come from. Its castle resides high in the sky. It is well known for its vast amount of greenery, stars and mountains.

**Author's Note: **Skip the flashback if you wish. You have no idea how uncomfortable I was writing it lol. Why add it? To show some SoKai couple growth of course :) ... and because I didn't post anything for Valentine's Day lol.

_

* * *

_

**. Chapter XXII .**

__

_**. Sora Hikari .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**___"Sora's the best ex-boyfriend any girl could ask for."_

**Land of Departure (Castle), approximately 3 years ago**

"French kissing?" The term was completely new to the innocent Kairi.

Selphie (who frantically ran around their temporary room in search for a suitable outfit) sighed at Kairi's naiveté, "You _cannot_ tell me you and Sora have never macked before. It's been like... six months and you kiss every freaking day! It's time to take your relationship to next level, sister!"

"Relationships develop at their own pace, Selph." Kairi stated a matter-of-factly.

She sat in front of the vanity table in the corner of the royal themed room, applying minimal make-up for the night's events. She was already in her strapless red dress. It was not skin tight, but did well to compliment her curves. It flowed just above her knees and had a giant white ribbon tied around her chest area. When Kairi looked at herself in the mirror with a satisfactory look, she brought a finger up to touch her glossy lips.

While zipping up her yellow dress, Selphie mused, "You're thinking about it aren't you?"

"What?" She was practically a deer caught in headlights.

"French kissing with Sora."

"Selphie, I came on this field trip to explore the Land of Departure- _not_ to have my wonderful boyfriend shove his tongue into my mouth. In fact, that sounds kind of disgusting."

Her babyhood friend smirked, "Don't knock it 'till you try it."

Kairi could only assume that Selphie had done it before. The dreamy look on her face made her curious.

_Has Sora... ever thought of doing that?_ The thought suddenly occurred to her. What if her boyfriend wanted to? Maybe he wanted more than just sweet pecks? Sora had other girlfriends before... had he french kissed with them? _I'm too, quote Selphie, 'naiveté' for that..._ Now not only did she think Sora wasn't pleased with her intimacy, but she started to make herself even more curious.

"What does it feel like? What does it mean?" She accidentally said out loud. _What would Sora... taste like?_

Selphie answered all her questions (minus the thought) with a coy expression, answering as if they weren't conundrums at all, "It feels good, I guess... cute, sexy, hot? Sex without the actual sex? Don't give me that look, Kairi. That's how Tidus explained it to me. I thought it was sexy, sweet and magical! It's still a kiss, after all. And it'll feel awkward at first, but you'll get the hang of it. And it doesn't just mean he's sticking his tongue in your mouth- it means you're willing to let him inside of you. No, that is not what she said. Stop looking at me like that! Okay, let me rephrase this... it gives your relationship more trust and pleasure at the same time!"

The french kissing virgin looked at Selphie as if she was crazy, "Remember when we used to talk about barbie dolls? I kinda miss those conversations."

Selphie patted Kairi's shoulder encouragingly, "We were seven then. This is all a part of growing up, kid! You _just _turned fifteen in December. Welcome to the reality of modern teenage intimacy. I think you're ripe and ready- and it's Valentine's Day tomorrow! We're about to go to the dance hall, too! We'll probably be there 'til midnight. It's perfect timing I tell ya!"

"I-I wouldn't know what to do," Kairi confessed with embarrassment flushing to her cheeks. _This would be our first really intimate moment._

"I told you it would feel weird at first," Her best friend said honestly, "But I'm sure a hot guy like Sora has experience with these kind of things. Let him lead. And don't look so innocent when you're about to kiss him, okay? He'll get the wrong idea and think you'll castrate him if he tries anything."

Kairi nodded but the fear was evident on her face.

"Don't be scared- Sora will love you no matter what!" With a reassuring pat on both shoulders, Selphie shoved Kairi out of their room, "Now go get your beloved's tongue thrusted in your mouth!"

The door slammed shut behind her. Leaning against the stoned wall was Sora, dressed in a wine red collared button up sweater and black slacks. Just like their first date, he rolled up his sleeves. His eyes were widened at what he just heard Selphie yell out the door.

He was about to say something, but was kindly interrupted by his beautiful girlfriend, "Don't ask."

**11:58**

"You know, I'm actually really glad we ditched the dance hall early. If we hadn't, I wouldn't have appreciated this place as much. I mean, look at the sky!"

Kairi watched as her boyfriend marveled at the things around them- he had such an active, artistic mind. He totally made her forget whatever was bothering her and he was entirely correct about the star-filled sky. It was _beyond_ picturesque.

"Look at all those stars... there's more here than there is on Destiny Islands." Kairi beamed in admiration.

Sora merely shrugged, "It's beauty is impressive, but you're better."

"Could you get any cheesier?" His girlfriend teased, "Next you're going to tell me that you named one of these stars after me and hand me a certificate for proof."

"P-pshh, no." From his back pocket, Sora tossed a crumpled piece of paper into the vast unknown- or, as people call it these days, the trash can.

Kairi prodded him- _hard_, "Sora!"

He chuckled and ruffled her hair, "I'm joking. That was my homework. Besides, you're brighter than any star out there... and hotter." He winked at his last statement.

"That settles it. You're cheesier than Tidus' ten cheese nachos."

"It comes with the boyfriend package," Sora pointed at himself proudly, "Purchase the boyfriend now and get a complimentary kiss for free!"

"... You just want an excuse to kiss me."

"And you're complaining because...?" He smirked, leaning down for a short, blissful kiss. Kairi pouted when he pulled away so quickly- she was too late to make it go further. Their little moment would just have to wait.

They walked down the lavender staircase hand in hand, reaching a circular center covered in different shades of purple tiles. The edges were filled with fresh green grass and lavender pillars that had vines winding around them. All around the area were lush, healthy mountains. It looked as if they were above the clouds.

Seeing as they were so high, a cool breeze danced on their tingling skin.

Slightly shivering, Kairi felt a pair of developing arms wrap around her, "Sorry I can't be cliche and give you my jacket. I... didn't exactly pack one. I didn't know it would be so cold here!"

Kairi could tell Sora was wearing a new cologne; she highly approved. With that said, she snuggled closer to him, "Don't worry. This is much better than a jacket."

The sound of a strident bell echoing through the castle disrupted their moment.

"It must be midnight." Sora checked his watch- indeed, he was right.

That meant it was Valentines Day- the day to celebrate love. Suddenly, heart shaped fireworks began to illuminate the starry sky. It reminded the couple of their first kiss under the meteor shower on Destiny Islands. Sora gazed at his loving girlfriend watching the fireworks in awe, pointing and making comments about how beautiful each one was.

_Pnewwwww... bshh!_

Still enveloped in his warmth, she looked at him staidly. She remembered her conversation earlier with Selphie.

"Don't look so innocent when you're about to kiss him, okay?" She had advised.

_Non-innocent face, check,_ Kairi mentally noted. Sora was giving her the same look. He had a blank look on his face, but his eyes and lips were expressing something else. He leaned in and kissed her softly then pulled away after about four seconds. It felt like their typical, magical kiss. But Kairi didn't allow them to break. _This is it,_ she went to capture his bottom lip and felt proud. It was one baby step further!

Sora pulled away and gave her an austere look, "K-Kairi, are you sure? I mean... we could, but... do you want to?"

So he _did_ want to. She nodded willingly- she wanted to please him. He leaned in, kissed her again. He made the first move. When his tongue reached the roof of her mouth, she pulled away harshly.

"I-I'm sorry," Sora apologized with guilt and sadness, "I was being selfish. You don't have to rush. I can wait forever for you."

His girlfriend's face beamed- he could feel her heart beating faster than his own. He would do anything to please her- she wanted to do the same.

"I can't... make you wait anymore." Kairi's arms snaked around his neck and pulled him to her.

This time, they were successful. Kairi endured the awkwardness Selphie had warned her about for the first few seconds, then got used to it. Sora really did know what he was doing. Her stomach twisted and turned- it churned with excitement. It wasn't too innocent or too intimate; it was_ perfect_. And that taste of his was so... needy, addicting and captivating. What magic she felt! It was like their bond had deepened. They were starting to grow together once again.

When Sora pulled away (even he was out of breath), he held Kairi close and thanked her. "You... didn't have to... but thank you so much. That was more than enough."

"No, thank you," She mumbled into his collar, "That was amazing."

"Happy Valentines Day, Kairi. I love you."

_

* * *

_

_Present Day_

The powers of a simple kiss were impeaccable. They could ignite a variety of different emotions- joy, sorrow, anger, lust and (what Kairi felt the most)- regret. Regret for letting her hormones get the better of her. Regret for putting Sora through torture. Regret for possibly doing something she wasn't ready for.

Not that she didn't enjoy the night's festivities, but still...

Kairi stirred, tossed and turned for a few minutes before deciding to wake up officially. When she sat up and rubbed her eyes, her head instantly fell back down to the cushioned pillow. Her head felt as heavy as her heart, and that was pretty dang heavy. It took a few seconds for her to register why she was in such a condition.

Kairi was suffering from a _hangover_. Something she thought she'd never experience in her lifetime.

_I am a TERRIBLE person..._ she thought, gazing up at the dull ceiling. Though the sun was seeping through the windows, it all looked so... monochrome.

Recently, she found out her so-called 'boyfriend' was cheating on her with someone much more beautiful and talented (or so she believed; Sora thought otherwise). Then, in just a few days time, there she was, lying half-naked in her ex-boyfriend's bed after getting drunk the night before. She wanted to scold herself; she felt like Regina George from 'Mean Girls'. She had brought confusion to herself and (this was highly probable) hurt Sora in the process.

She used someone after being used herself; and the worst part was... the person she used was the sweetest guy _ever_.

After gloating for a good five minutes, Kairi found the will to sit up straight and attempt to focus her vision. She was near-sighted, so there were a few things she could see clearly within range.

Well, for one, she was most definitely _not_ in her room. She could tell by the navy blue colour scheme that it was obviously Sora's. Her surroundings were blurry, though. Another thing in close range was herself. Indeed, she looked inappropriate. Her hair was in a tangled mess, her shoes seemed to be missing and the front of her dress was unzipped halfway, exposing her chest.

She mentally thanked the person who invented bras.

Then chaos ensued within her. _What happened last night?_ She could hear her heart pumping in her ears. Never had she been more scared in her lifetime. Had she and Sora really... done the dirty? Done what Axel and Larxene had?

_He wouldn't... we couldn't have..._ Sora was a boy with limits. But then again, the saying "Boys will be boys" usually lived up to its name. _Wh-What if we did and... what if I'm pregnant? !_ She placed a hand over her thin belly and panicked. Her parents would never forgive her for doing something like this! They would never trust her again!

Kairi searched for something- anything that would get her mind off the possibility that she and Sora would be parents at such a young age. On the nightstand to her right was a potion. On it was a sticky note written by Sora; she could recognize his somewhat neat calligraphy anywhere.

_Mornin'. Feeling woozy, are you? Drink me._

Drinking a potion was like drinking cough medicine; it was gross, had a tangy aftertaste but worked well. Kairi took two gulps before the potion was put into effect. She began to glow a soft, bright green. Her heart began to beat at its normal pace, and things around her became somewhat clear.

As Kairi placed the empty flask back onto the night stand, she accidentally knocked over Sora's phone which just so happened to be there. She didn't have the reflexes (nor the will) to save it like last time. Instead, it fell onto the hardwood floor with a slight 'thud' face down and automatically began playing a voicemail message. To be played instantly like that, Sora must have been listening to it last night.

_Sora, this is your father. You are to do what your brother has instructed and come home to Palumpolum immediately after your birthday. Your summer vacation is over. BEEEEEEP. End of message. To delete, press..._

"Vanitas..." His stern words hit her like a ton of bricks, and that sucked considering her condition. Sora was... leaving? After he had _BS'd_ so many times that he wouldn't? After all they had been through in one month? Was this really how much of an impact he had on her? He was going to be gone again. She'd feel that empty void she felt on Destiny Islands again. It was all going to be gone.

Just to clarify, Kairi rolled out of the bed onto the hardwood floor. She slowly crawled towards Sora's phone and opened it. It was an invasion of his privacy, but she had to find out if she was hallucinating or not. Unfortunately, she wasn't.

_He received this message the day the Hunger Games ended... _She felt betrayed. _Why hadn't he told her sooner instead of delaying it?_

The sound of someone fumbling with the bathroom doorknob brought her back to her senses. No doubt it was Sora just finishing from his morning shower. Her heart ached, her vision hazed and she felt paralyzed. How was she supposed to react? Angry was her first thought, but she figured that even though she had every right to be mad, Sora didn't deserve it. He probably beat himself up the whole night in regret; that was the Sora she knew. The Sora she knew probably restrained himself to no end.

But she really was mad; she just couldn't show it. Instead, she just lay on the floor when the door swung open. She wiped her eyes and sniffled. Soon enough, the world came into focus.

... as did Sora and all his shirtless glory.

The pace of Kairi's heart quickened again, her stomach tied in a billion knots. A freshly showered Sora wearing nothing but dark jeans emerged from the bathroom. By the looks of it, he had forgotten to grab a top. As for his hair, it truly was a mystery as to how it ended up that way. It was simply towel-dried. As he grabbed a red hollister hoodie from his computer chair, he paid no mind to the fact until Kairi was awake.

That is, until she cleared her throat.

He didn't look surprised. In fact, he looked wintry, "Good morning."

_Good morning? _Her blood boiled. They just had sex, and Sora looked _sad_? Sexy, but sad. She came to the conclusion that Sora was gay.

"What are you doing on the floor?" He asked innocently, throwing on the hoodie.

Kairi face-palmed herself at Sora's idiocy. While he sprayed boy spray all over himself, she just lay there. There was a half-naked girl on the floor clearly suffering from a hangover and he didn't have the class to help her up? Well goodbye, sweet Sora. Now Kairi could have gotten up herself, but to put it bluntly, she couldn't. She didn't want to admit it, but she had to ask Sora for help. The floor was getting cold.

"Sora," She croaked, "Can you help me up?"

He gave her the sweetest smile possible and picked her up bridal style, carefully placing her on his bed, "I would've helped you off the floor sooner, but I thought you'd castrate me if I touched you."

_Wh... Oh._ Kairi zipped up her dress in embarrassment before turning serious, "Sora..."

"We didn't," He answered defensively, "I swear."

She sighed in relief. The anger she felt towards him earlier was now hanging by a thread.

"I couldn't possibly do that to you," When Sora clenched his fists and looked out the window, Kairi could tell he was angry with himself, "When I met you, I kept telling myself 'give her the best, and only the best'. I still stand by that now. You deserve only the best, Kairi. I couldn't do something so selfish to a girl with so many opportunities and talents. I couldn't destroy your future. I'm not that kind of guy, so please don't think that. No matter how tempting it was, I just couldn't. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for even kissing you. I should've stopped you, but... I'm so sorry."

He was so close to crying- she could feel it. Seriously, this guy was so committed. He was far too considerate for his own good. So sweet Sora hadn't left after all. At least, not yet...

It was then Kairi noticed how clean Sora's room was. Not that it was already clean, but today it was squeaky clean. All the furniture was nicely polished, everything was in its place, pillows were fluffed and aligned and (this broke Kairi's heart the most) his suitcases were packed by the door. Sora caught her gaze and sighed, "I'm le-"

"I know," She confessed, suppressed anger slightly rising, "I heard the voicemail."

He picked his phone off the floor and didn't bother scolding Kairi for looking through it- he trusted her enough and there was nothing to hide, anyway. "Are you mad?"

I'm furious, "N-no. I respect your father's wish."

"Seriously?"

_No, you douche. After everything we've been through... after last night, you're actually going to leave?_ "Yes. I can't be selfish."

His heart shattered, "So you're fine with me leaving?"

_If 'fine' means confining myself in the house like Namine, then yes. _"Completely."

Now wasn't the time to be smirking, but Sora just couldn't help it. After loving the same woman for- what? Almost four years?- she became so easy to read. She didn't mean one word she said. When he looked into her honest eyes, he saw confusion and anger. He just had to find a way to weasel out those feelings onto the outside, because when Kairi's feelings were bottled up, not only did she suffer, but everyone suffered as well.

"Okay, goodbye then." He tried his best to sound thespian; it worked much better than he thought. The instant he flicked his head away from her and got up, she grabbed his wrist. When he turned around to see her face, he felt bad for acting theatrical. Her lip was quivering and he was the reason for her being on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry." She sobbed, trying to hide her tears. She was genuinly sad- not drunk sad. The potion had taken care of that and sobered her up.

Sora smiled sadly and pulled her into a hug, and while he did so, she mumbled into his hoodie, "I'm a terrible person. You shouldn't be th-the only one apologizing. I-It should be me too. I-i've been such a whiny, sensetive bitch a-and you had to deal with all th-that. How c-could you love a person like me? ! I-I'm such an idiot! I'm the reason your f-father wants you to go home! I-If I had never... if we had n-never... Seifer wouldn't e-even be after you."

"Kairi, I will admit admit that I'm disappointed that you did something so idiotic." Sora said honestly, "But you are not an idiot. And this is not your fault. Seifer's the idiot. What I'm worried about more is why you did it. Why did you drink?"

Sobbing and unmoving, Kairi replied in a muffled tone. Sora pulled away slightly and gave her a skeptical look. With a sigh, Kairi whimpered, "I saw Cl-Cloud and Tifa making out by the bar." The nerve of that ASSHOLE to even show up... He clutched the fragile girl to his chest, I wish I could have at least... one more day... one more day to fix everything. "S-So a very drunk Axel offered me a drink, and th-they were all having so mu-much fun and... I was so b-broken and I had to... I just had to... make it st-stop..." She continued.

"I understand," Sora resisted the urge to send his bed flying to the other side, "Please don't cry. This isn't how I want to see you before I leave."

"I can't h-help it," Kairi's tears hit him like bullets, "I'm s-so confused..."

Sora pulled away (Kairi silently whined at this) and started walking towards his wooden dresser, "I wish I could be there personally to help you; really, I do." Then he took a- what was that, a small plate?- off the top of his dresser and presented its contents to Kairi in a well-mannered fashion that made it look like he was proposing. He wore a proud smile on his face knowing that his intentions had worked.

Oh no he didn't.

"Chocolate paopucake?" She asked in awe. A ghost of a smile played on her lips. Chocolate paopucake; Kairi's ultimate weakness. Even as a child, it was one of Kairi's greatest weaknesses. When she was feeling down or confused, the taste of sweet, soft chocolate paopucake was enough to enlighten her heart. It was almost as powerful as Sora himself. Almost.

Kairi gushed like Hayner when he first discovered Modern Warfare as Sora began to cut the small, circular minicake with a fork. At the center was a yellow paopu fruit made of icing (Sora made sure not to cut it yet since he knew it bothered her). After he cut the small piece of heaven, he ordered Kairi to open her mouth by opening his himself and making strange baby noises.

"Let the gummi ship into the hangar, Kairi!" He cooed. She rolled her eyes playfully before accepting the treat into her mouth. Watching Kairi chew was as suspenseful as waiting for Pence's suspenders to give in. Did she like it or...?

"This is amazing." Kairi moaned in delight, demanding him for another bite; he complied. "Where'd you buy this?" She asked.

"I, uh..." He scratched the back of his head gingerly, "I kinda made it."

He dodged the piece of cake that was spat across the room. Kairi's face was caked with disbelief. Heh, get it? Caked? Ahhh? Yeah. Okay. Lame. I know.

"You didn't," How was it possible that Sora, the boy who couldn't even turn on an oven, made something better than her own burnt cupcakes?, "How early did you get up?"

With a malevolent smirk, the brunet countered, "I believe the question is how late did you get up?"

When Kairi glanced at the clock, she was glad her mouth wasn't full. She would've wasted another bite. It was already four thirty in the afternoon.

_Wow, I'm such a lightweight. Axel would be ashamed. _"You..." Her expression saddened as she took the plate from her ex-boyfriend's hands and placed it on the night stand to her right, "You should get going. What time is your flight?"

"11:00am."

Another piece of cake wasted. "You missed your flight?"

"Purposely," He took one of her cold hands in both his warm ones, "I didn't want you waking up without me explaining things. You'd think I was some pig who just came for a one night stand." She aknowledged his thinking with a nod of approval. "But," He stopped stroking her hand and became interested in the comforters, "I really should go now. My dad expected me home hours ago, and the suns setting..."

"The next flight to Palumpolum is at five forty five." Kairi confirmed from his iPhone.

Sora then called his brother to tell him to start the car. When he finished, the sound of his phone clicking was like a boom in their ears; a reality check. They were silent for a few minutes, engraving the other's appearance in their heart. Sora especially noticed how lovely she looked when the sunset light hit her face. Even when she just woke up she was beautiful.

Then, she hugged him-_ tight_.

"I never thought I'd say this, but... I'm _really_ going to miss you."

* * *

**Sora Interview _(prior to the events of the Strife dinner & Hunger Royale)_**

So, Sora Hikari. Lead singer of The Oathkeepers and possibly one of the most popular guys on the island. He's living in your household. You've known him for a month now- what do you think of him? What is he to you?

**Roxas:** "Sora is honestly the best twin brother ever. This vacation wouldn't be the same without him. It broke my heart when we were seperated. He's got it all- the charisma, the talents, the looks- but I'm pretty sure he got those looks from me. Haha. But seriously. I think the reason everyone loves him is because he _deserves_ to be loved. He gained it. As you can tell onstage, he's got the qualities of a leader. He's so committed it's not even funny anymore. He's also loving as he is committed. If I was Kairi, I'd totally bang him right n-... you're still filming aren't you?"

**Namine:** "I haven't known Sora for very long, but from what I can see, he's a very good person and friend. He's contradicted every bad thing Kairi has said about him. I really appreciate how he still has feelings for my cousin and is willing to go through _anything_ to make her happy, even if it means letting her go with another guy. He's been really kind to me, too. He treats me like I'm someone normal regardless of my condition. He also keeps his promises- you can really trust someone like him. Sora's the perfect guy for my cousin; I hope she realizes that soon. He's our sunshine- our light for when things go bad."

**Riku:** "Do I seriously have to do this? Yeah? Will you shut up if I give you an answer? Okay, fine. I honestly hated Sora at first. He was a freaking heartwrecker. He was ignorant an acted like a douchenozzle. But I... oh my maker I'm actually gonna say this... I think I got him all wrong. Deep down, I think he actually understands me. He understands all of us. And... I think... maybe, if he didn't break my best friend's heart... and if we weren't so competitive in our own little ways, we would have been really good friends. O-Oh my gosh. I actually said that. Get that camera outta my face."

**Xion: **"Sora is a great guy. I know it's weird coming from the girl he constantly avoids, but I can't blame him. We sort of had a... mishap in the past and I feel _horrible _about it. I destroyed such a talented, loving person for my own selfish reasons. You could say that it was the biggest regret of my life. But he still goes on living life, willing to get Kairi back and helping people. Everyday I wish that he would listen to me and accept my apologies, forgive me, and start this whole thing over. All I ask for is to befriend him and nothing more. I've learned that we aren't meant to be. We were made for different people, and I believe that he was made for Kairi."

**Olette:** "Although I'm not technically _living _with Sora, I still stand by my opinion that he is an amazing guy. I don't know him that well, but from what I see on television, he's extremely talented and funny. He's a really fast learner, too! I taught him korean in an _hour_! And what amazes me most is that he's not a pig like most guys out there. He genuinly cares for Kairi in a respectful manner. He has a very admirable personality- he brings out the child in all of us... in a good way!"

**Selphie: **"Sora is the _definition_ of sexy. I know I'm Kairi's best friend and I'm not supposed to be calling her ex boyfriend or future boyfriend (which ever you prefer) sexy, but I'm just being honest. Have you seen his six pack? Hot. Diggity. Damn. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that boy. Hot, athletic and intelligent. That should be illegal. I don't understand how Kairi can resist that sexy beast. They are so good together! *squeal*"

**Hayner: **"In a non-homo way, I freaking_ love _Sora. He's cool. And that's coming from _me- _Hayner Arundel, world famous gamer. Check out my channel on- what? Am I not allowed to advertise my awesomeness on television?"

**Axel:** "Sora is _sex_. Period."

Axel, you don't even live here.

**Kairi:** "Everyone's probably expecting a really long speech from me, huh? Ahaha. Well, he does deserve it, so here goes. Sora... where do I even begin? Sora is like... everything. He's funny, smart, cute, talented, brave, committed, understanding, willing, athletic- the list is endless. He's a good guy, minus the fact that he cheated. I probably won't forgive him for what he did to me in the past, but he's still the same Sora I knew, although he's much more attractive now. Oh. Shit. Did I just say that out loud? Ahaha, anyway... he's the best friend _ever_. He cares for other people more than he does himself."

"On normal circumstances, I would be bashing on him right now, but Sora's just got this quality about him that makes you see things differently. He makes me feel so... different. No matter who you are, he will find a way to make you smile. Always. He's only lied to me once in his life. Other than that, he's the most outspoken, honest guy you will ever meet. I don't want to believe him sometimes, but Sora has no reasons to lie. He will go through the ends of the earth just to put a smile on your face."

"I know he suffers when I'm with Cloud, and to be honest, when he's broken about it, I am too. I may love him one minute and hate him the other, but Sora will always be Sora. An amazing friend. The person who understands me most. The person who will always be there for me 'til... well, forever. The one who can make me fall and fly. And I know its weird saying this, but... Sora's the best ex-boyfriend any girl could ask for."

x

"Hayner?"

The young gaming prodigy answered to the call of the brunette girl who had called him. He aknowledged her 'we need to talk' tone and froze the game on the screen. The entire household stopped what they were doing and gasped. Life was officially messed up.

With a cranky look on his face, Hayner said in an irritate voice, "What the hell are you all gasping about?"

Selphie pointed at the television screen with a wobbley hand, "Hayner, you..." Axel finished for her with the same gesture, "You freaking _paused_ the _game_. You _never_ pause the game! You don't even turn your PSP off when you're taking a shower!" Hayner shot him a death glare followed by a look of embarassment.

"Hayner," Olette pleaded for his attention with a more secretive tone, "Can we please talk?"

He responded by tossing his controller to the hardwood floor (they gasped even more at his antics) and leading Olette towards the patio outside. Normally it was the ideal scene for romance, but after the party last night, it was a complete dump. There were even some teenagers unconcious by the shore; Terra was kicking them out one by one with Ventus. It was their form of 'brother bonding'.

"Hayner, you _threw_ the controller on the _hardwood_ floor! It's gonna _scratch_!" To block out Axel's yelling, Hayner shut the transparent doors and focused all his attention on Olette without even looking her in the eye. She noticed, "Hayner, can you look at me? You've been avoiding me all morning- what's up? Did I do something?"

**Yesterday night**

"Hayner, my man, I'm _so_ proud of you!" A drunk fiery red head placed an arm around Hayner's shoulders, "At first I thought you were just a -hic- tech dweeb, but all that has changed tonight! Look at you, getting Olette drunk and playing Truth, Dare or Double Dare with us older kids! I take it you'll take advantage of her later? Badass, dude. Bad. Ass."

Feeling awkward, Hayner shrugged Axel's muscular arm off of him and watched the bottle spin from the corner of his eye, "Axel, it's _truth or dare_. You know, that game girls play at sleepovers? What's so badass about that? And Olette is _not_ drunk. She's just a little hyper because of all the soda she's had. And I am _not_ taking advantage of her later! That's just wrong!"

As if it were planned, Sora led Kairi into the house while making out with her. Axel smirked, "Sora doesn't seem to think so."

"Whatever. Let's just drop the subject and play, okay?" Both boys averted their attention towards the empty spinning sprite bottle. It was a good thing, too, considering that it landed on Axel. When asked truth, dare or double dare, the pyromaniac chose double dare.

"Double dare, eh?" Tidus rubbed his hands in an evil fashion, "Swap clothes with Selphie, and when you're done, sing 'Never Say Never' before jumping into the pool."

"Bieber? Really, Tidus? Really?" Axel asked in disbelief. The blond affirmed with a nod, sending Selphie and Axel towards different rooms to swap clothes. "Meanwhile," Tidus let out an evil cackle (this new behaviour frightened his girlfriend a bit), "Spin the magical sprite bottle, baby."

Yuna complied. The bottle landed on a rather drunk looking Vanille.

"So what's it gonna be, vanilla?" Tidus' mind was already roaming with all sorts of possibilities.

Vanille answered while giggling uncontrollably, "Dare me!"

"Kiss Hope." Tidus immediately pointed at the frightened looking Hope. Vanille, considering the state she was in, started crawling towards him. He slowly scurried away, "V-Vanille, no! No! Someone, make her stop! She doesn't know what she's doing!" Snow slapped his back, "Quit acting like you don't want it to happen."

Vanille grabbed him by the short collar and planted a big one on him. The circle cheered, Lightning hissed and Fang began cracking her knuckles. When Vanille pulled away, Hope's lips were coated with pink coloured lip gloss. He fainted in pleasure.

Hayner's heart began to pump loudly in his ears as he looked at Olette from the corner of his eye, _Wh-what if... we... _He didn't want to admit it, but he secretly wanted something to happen between them, even if it was just a game. Luck seemed to be on his side when the bottle landed on the young woman of his affections.

"Ooh, the female Einstein," Tidus crossed his arms, "Truth, dare or double dare?"

"Hmmm," She tapped her chin in thought (it was driving Hayner insane), "Truth."

Everyone playfully _boo'd_ at her innocence. Tidus silenced them as if he were a judge- only this time, the hammer he used was gigantic and plastic, "Guys, guys, calm down! Trust me, this will be good. So, Olette, you're the stocker for the Hikari household... which guy do you think is the cutest?"

Hayner's heart went from pumping like fire to frozen ice when she answered 'Roxas'.

**Present Day**

"Nothing's wrong, Olette." Hayner mumbled his lies while shielding his eyes with his beanie hat, "You've done nothing."_ Just broke my heart, that's all._

Before she could negotiate, Roxas knocked on the glass doors. He gestured the two to come back inside. When they obeyed him, everyone was present in the living room. Namine and Selphie seemed to be watching 'Teenage Wasteland' on TV, watching the footage of the twin's party the night before. On the screen, Roxas and Sora were performing a song in thanks for the wonderful party. In reality, Sora was walking down the stairs with Kairi helping him with his luggages. Axel was lugging them into Roxas' convertible revved up and ready outside.

"What's going on?" Selphie was afraid to ask- there could only be one possibility. Everyone had serious, frightened looks on their faces, awaiting Roxas' reply. It was as suspenseful as watching someone at gunpoint.

With a heavy sigh, Roxas informed the household of his father's intentions, "After what happened on Hunger Royale, my father has ordered Sora to return home to Palumpolum."

"What? !" Ventus whipped his microphone to the side, hitting poor Pence in the head, "He can't! He's like... one of the most important guys on the island! Sora, you're jeoparizing your chances of winning Battle of The Bands! You're in the top three bands now! You even have a photoshoot coming up! This is where the competition heats up, man!"

"This is all my fault..." Aqua sobbed, "We were assigned the best household in the island and I took advantage of it. I just wanted more and more..."

"Damn straight you did!" Selphie yelled in a bitchy tone, "If you hadn't bailed Seifer ou-"

"Girls, stop!" Sora ordered. The household fell silent and listened to his final words, "Listen, we all knew this wasn't going to last forever. Things have been perfect for far too long. I'd have to leave sooner or later. But seriously, this has been the most fun I've had in my life! I've been living the best life possible. Yes, I almost died, but I'm the lead singer of one of the hottest bands on the island, I just had the most pimped out 18th birthday ever, I was reunited with my brother and Kairi, and... it gave me a chance to meet all of you. So don't think for one second that this doesn't hurt me. I'm really going to miss all of you."

Sora tossed one of his luggages to Axel and started to converse with the members of the household one by one. He started with Hayner.

"Hayner, you are the craziest Modern Warfare player I know. I'm glad I met the best gamer in the world." Then he said in a barely audible whisper, "Good luck with Olette, okay? You can do it man. Don't give up."

He responded by placing a firm hand on Sora's shoulder, "Long live the mountains we moved. I've had the time of my life fighting dragons with you."

"Are you quoting _Taylor Swift_?"

With an embarassed red face, Hayner lied and stammered an obviously transparent 'no'. Sora then moved onto Olette and thanked her for her services. He even gave her a generous tip. After Olette, he spoke to Selphie and Namine about how beautiful and strong they were. He even told Namine that he was really glad to meet her and hoped that she would be his sister in law someday (this made her blush). After the girls, he spoke to the camera crew consisting of Pence, Ventus and even Aqua. He forgave Aqua after scolding her for awhile, then bade Ventus and Pence farewell after praising their editing talents.

Then he was down to the two he never thought he'd speak to in his life.

"Xion, Riku..." He ran a hand through his spikes with a harsh sigh, "I'll start with Xion." Kairi shivered.

She tensed up and stood straight with teary eyes- this was the first time he had actually spoken to her normally and listened, "S-Sora, I'm sorry-"

"Xion, I will never forgive you for what you've done in the past," He said harshly. Riku stepped before Xion and glared before the younger boy. "Riku, let me continue," Sora pleaded (he allowed him to continue), "Listen, Xion, I appreciate your apology. It flatters me that you like me, but please understand that my heart belongs to someone else. We're made for other people. There's someone out there made for you (they might even be closer than you think, just saying), but it's not me. If you ever find that guy, treat him with respect. _Please_. That's all I have to say."

She aknowledged him with a nod, "I understand. Thank you for the closure. A-And don't worry; I don't see you that way anymore. It took me awhile, but... I understand now how much you could love a person."

With a grin, Sora looked at Riku, "See what your friendship has taught this girl?" The albino haired boy merely bobbed his head.

"Riku," Sora cleared his throat, "To be honest, I never thought we'd ever be where we were now. I'm sorry for hurting Xion. I don't blame you for hating me, but I'm really glad she found a best friend like you. I know I don't understand what you're going through at home, but if you seriously need anything, I'll be there for you, okay? I see you onstage, at home- you grow more confident around the people around you. I'm begging you to trust these people around you; they're good people. They will help you, and even if I'm in Palumpolum, don't hesitate to ever ask me for anything. You, although you mask it sometimes, are a _really_ great guy. You, without the scars, the make-up or the dark attire, have the ability to let people see light, just like Xion. Let the light out more often, all right? See you, Riku."

Seeing as the emo king wasn't replying, Sora just gave everyone a firm nod before turning his heel to walk outside with Kairi, Roxas and Axel. Before he stepped out into the sunset, Riku hollered at him from the end of the hallway. He turned around with his heart beating in a fast manner.

"Sora," Riku gulped, "Even if you are a dramatic douchenozzle, you're... actually a good guy."

The members of the household resisted the urge to faint, cry, scream or squeal. With a grin, the childish eighteen-year-old saluted to him before shutting the door. When the door shut, reality set in for the seven teenagers. The house was eerily quiet and although the sun was setting, it felt dark and cold inside. With that one door slam, they realized just how important losing one person was. Sora was actually leaving; their once unbreakable bond was broken.

* * *

**KH Airport**

"No, you have to let us see him!"

"Let us touch him one last time!"

"Let him sing us one last song!"

"Make him stay!"

"Ask him to bang me before he leaves!"

As Terra held back all the fans with caution tape and brute strength (but he was pretty sure that last comment came from a _guy_), Sora, Kairi, Roxas and Axel advanced to Section F, Gate 3 on the second floor for the last flight to Palumpolum. From the gigantic full length windows surrounding the entire wall, Sora could already see the plane waiting outside. The wheels on his luggages rolling against marble echoed through the entire section with the faint sound of screaming fans in the distance.

When they reached the middle of the large, yet quiet hall, the sound of rolling wheels came to a hault. They were getting to the point where Sora would have to leave them and board the plane. Their walk was so short that Kairi's heart shattered when the twins stopped walking.

"So this is it." Axel slid the pull-out handle back into the luggage, "This is goodbye?"

Sora turned to face him with a face lit by the sunset, "Yeah, I guess. Listen, Axel, I'm really sorry about leaving the competition. I wish you the best with Larxene. If you ever need anything, just call and I'll-"

After being pulled into a man hug, Axel placed his calloused hands on Sora's firm shoulders, "Sora, I'm about to go all father mode on you so don't tell anyone, okay? I understand why your dad is sending you home. I'm about to become a dad myself, and I understand that I want my child safe at all costs. So don't worry about me- we'll find a way to pull through in the competition. You've gotten us into the top three; you've already done more than enough on your part. Thank you, Sora. Take care of yourself, okay? If your name wasn't so faggish, I'd name my kid after you."

"Wow. It was going great until that last line." Sora gave him a chuckle and a fist bump, "And by the way, my name is _sexy_." Then after a playful shove, the shorter man gave him a pure grin, "You're going to be a great dad Axel. Just don't swear in front of Sora Jr. now." The pyromaniac guffawed and sent the brunet twin off to his brother.

"Roxas."

"Sora."

They laughed as they said each other's name in unison. Sora decided to break the awkward silence that began afterward, "You _did _sign the form to have the motorcycle delivered to my house, right?"

"Really? Is that how you're going to say goodbye to your baby brother?" Roxas faked an adorable pout; he knew his brother was kidding.

"Hah," Sora pulled him into a brotherly hug, "It was really nice seeing you again, Roxas. Thank you for _everything_. Visit me sometime in Palumpolum, all right?"

Roxas nodded, "Promise. Enjoy your motorcycle, bro. And if I wasn't mistaken, you applied for a university in Twilight Town right? I hope you get in. We'd see each other more often."

"For sure," Sora punched his chest, "I'll try my best. I wish you and Namine the best, too. She's a nice girl. Unique, too. You're lucky."

"I know I am," Roxas spun his brother around to face a very teary Kairi, "And so are you. Go get'em, tiger."

After being shoved about a meter forward, Sora nervously stood in front of his ex-girlfriend while rubbing the back of his head, "I-I'm not gonna lie. I feel _really _nervous right now. I never wanted to say goodbye to you again, but... I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you, and.. well, goodbye. I d-don't know if you want to see me again, but... I hope I'll hear from you soon. *sigh* Thanks for an amazing summer, Kairi." He paused abruptly, "Yeah, um... I don't know what else to sa-"

In the next second, Sora was flying.

Much like yesterday, Kairi gave him the most passionate kiss possible. He never knew such soft lips could be so powerful. But this kiss wasn't needy and filled with lust. It felt just like it did before (when they were dating, that is)- natural, loving and magical. Axel and Roxas whistled casually and turned their heads away. Kairi's arms were now clasped around his neck, his arms nervously snaking around her waist. He let out what sounded like a whimper of pleasure when Kairi pulled away.

The blush was evident on her rosy cheeks, "S-Sorry... I-I don't know what came over me. I just... didn't want you to think all your hard work went to waste."

"Well now I know it didn't," Sora said with a laugh, bringing their foreheads together, "Thank you, Kairi. I... I love you."

She couldn't bring herself to say the exact words back, "Sora..."

"You don't have to," He reassured, "I told you I'd wait forever."

He didn't seem to understand, "No Sora, it's not that-"

"No really, I'm fine-"

"Sora-" She tried to negotiate in a more stern, irritated voice.

"I don't want to force y-"

"Sora!" She pointed a shaky finger towards a figure behind him. The man standing by the gate was tall and lean with fair skin, spiky jet black hair, business clothing and striking golden eyes. Next to him was a brown haired young woman with curls cascading down to her shoulders. Her face was kind and her face was warm. Her smile resembled that of Roxas. Her hypnotizing blue eyes were inherited by both the twins. As for the man, his face resembled more of Sora. In fact, he was the older version of Sora. Sora recognized the two in a heartbeat once he turned to face them.

"Mom... dad...?"

**In the next chapter:**

_"Roxas, you are the bestest, sexiest most epic twin brother ever!"_

_"You've been cordially invited to... what the hell is this shit? !"_

_"I want Aqua fired."_

_"Smile with your eyes."_

_"This isn't a date, Sora."_

* * *

**Oh, Mama Roxas and Daddy Sora in the house :O Corniest chapter ever xD Lol, okay, I'm gonna keep this author's note short and sweet. I'm gonna get right down to replying to your reviews because I have TONS of work to do! Who knew grade 10 was so busy? I thought it was the slack grade of high school :( But for sure I'm commiting suicide next year. Guess what I took? I took all three freaking sciences- Physics, Chem AND Bio. I hope you guys can deal with a very panicky Kyorii lol. I needed to take all three to become a dentist o.o ANYWAY, enough about me, let's get right down to it!**

**And WOW. Almost 600 reviews! I think I might actually reach my dream of getting 1000! We might actually beat Ordinary Freak here, guys! (In fact, I've checked the stats. We're already beating it lol) Thank you so much for all the support! **

**Rytex: Ahaha, well, sometimes when I add scenes like that my male readers tend to get kind of excited. And I'm way too young to be adding anything like that in my story o.o In fact, I wouldn't even want to add scenes like that lol. And sorry, I only add characters I know about in my story and I don't know who Kefka is o.o I might add him in if I do some research :P It seems like he'd make a good villian.**

**Annie n.n: Xion/ Vanitas? I can see why you'd like that. It's because Vanitas looks like Roxas and they looked so cute in 358/2 days! But I really do prefer Namine (:**

**Phenomenon45: I love people who review like you :) I LOVE long reviews! So, first off, I'm really glad that you're hooked :D Some people might've left because of that semi-sex scene lol. And everyone seems to be saying that I portray the characters well and... I'm flattered, but I don't know how its good lol. Plus, SORA IS THE MAN. THATS WHY I GAVE HIM SOME. xD And as much as I appreciate being called the man, you should know that I'm a girl :P**

**TaylorrrStrife: YOUU. I WAS WAITING FOR YOUR NAME TO SHOW UP IN MY REVIEWS! I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONE D: lol. And _really_? You _like_ long chapters? I thought they bored people to no end and they'd just stop reading :O I'm glad to know at least one person likes them :) Oh, and Namixas is your number one, huh? There's gonna be _alot _coming up soon, believe me ;D And thank you so much for supporting me throughout all my stories! I really appreciate it! *cries and squeals***

**Randoreader: Oooh, we have a lot in common do we? I love that :D Could you please tell me what we have in common? I enjoy that kinda stuff x3 And are you canadian too? And I highly doubt we're the same age because I'm a late december baby xD And do the good authors really tend to stick with each other? I never really considered myself 'good' compared to all the others out there :$ Oh, and I don't hate Cloud! I LOVE HIM. I just decided to change his character up a little here because he gets too much praise xD Don't worry, he goes good later!**

**Ultimatesonic: Oh, in most stories I read, Aqua is always portrayed as either a lovestruck girl in love with Ventus or a hero. Don't get me wrong, she is here, but I wanted to change things up before going cliche :P Don't you worry, Aqua's not who you think she is :) She's a good girl!**

**SoraHikariKokoro: Oh my, I hate getting that feeling. That feeling when something is so awesome and you don't know how to describe it and you end up thinking about it nonstop? That was me when I first got Final Fantasy XIII lol. I was BREATHLESS. And oh, you expected them to get into a fight, huh? I decided to make Kairi nice and not beat his face in :) And I really appreciate you reading my story eve though the couple isn't really your favourite :D**

**Sookdeo: To be honest, I don't even know where my own jokes come from. I'm just sitting at home, writing whatever comes to mind and sometimes random crap just gets in there and onto the computer lol. And some of the times, I get that stuff from real life lol. The whip my hair thing? I did that with my friends XD**

**Eri21: Good to know it amused you :D**

**ChuckleBunny: OMG I don't think I've seen your username in ages! I remember you supporting me all the way from Masquerade! OMG I LOVE YOU! *in a non-homo way* lol. Thank you so much for all the support! Oh and I guess freezing time is a sexual fantasy because you can do sexual things when you freeze time xD**

**Artism: To be honest I've never played BBS, just watched it online :P But I never did recall Atlantica... they _should_ have added in there! I wanted more Ventus shirtless action LOL.**

**XIII-Jinx-XIII: LOL waking up with Axel half-naked on top of you? Sounds pretty hot xD And they actually sell Justin Bieber pinatas! In fact, I was gonna buy one for my best friend for his birthday. He hates Justin Bieber :P**

**A Different Dimension: Omg, thank you so much for taking the time to correct all those mistakes. When I write, I usually don't pay attention to the format but more so how it looks. One paragraph may be too short or too long and it just doesn't seem to add up. But I do admit it's easier to read when I break it up like I did now :) And thank you for calling me talented, it really means alot :3 **

**Sunset of Eternity: I've been in a crowd of fangirls before. Not pretty. All vicious xD. **

**Suzumiya Haruka: LOL I'm so glad that someone caught that dougie joke! I was actually laughing myself when I thought of that. Just picturing Axel doing the dougie just makes me laaaauuughhh. And I'm glad you enjoyed the Bieber bashing- I expected majority of my fans to start yelling and beating me with virtual struggle bats but NONE of them did that LOL. Why, we got a league of Bieber haters here!**

**Craxuan: Someone seems to enjoy the band, present, dance and sex :P**

**ChocoIsu: Oh don't worry if you can't review. I appreciate you even reading the story itself :D **

**The Moon's Berserk: Oh my in a bad way...?**

**Astiosis: Twin telepathy doesn't exist? I take it you have a twin lol? Well, I know that cousin telepathy and best friend telepathy exist because DAMN. My cousin and I have the same mind. My best friend and I ARE the same mind xD **

**moonlight-on-grass: someone enjoyed the chapter and lol'd xD**

**EternallySky: In the next chapter, yes, Roxas and Sora's story will be explained better considering that their parents have arrived :) And to be honest, I have NO IDEA who Vanitas' wife will be xD It'll probably end up being a character I made up lol. And I did mention that their parents were divorced right? That's really all there is to it lol.**

**ShadowSpooky: Yeah right? There really was no sex involved... yet. LOL jk jk.**

**Spellbound aka soragirl4ever: Aww thank you :)**

**paopufruit-to-go: aww thanks :D**

**CupcakeLerman: LMAO that's pretty much it. They did pass out from making out too long. Making out does make people sleepy after awhile... not that I'd know o.o Okay I do, BUT AHAHAHA WE'RE GONNA DROP THAT SUBJECT XD *feels awkward* Oh and I've tried the whip my hair thing with my friends at the mall already lol. That's how I got the idea :P**

**DestinyKeyblader28: I know eh? Biggest freaking beach party ever, motorcycle, electric guitar, stage, lights... I want a birthday like that :P**

**Transitions End: Everyone expected Sora to get his ass kicked eh? Lol, I'm not _that _mean :P**

**One Sky One Dream One Destiny: YAY ANOTHER BIEBER BASHER XD We've got alot here. Apparently none of my fans like him xD Everyone loved the pinata idea! I expected like... half the bieber fans to come charging at me with virtual weapons that could do VERY bad things to me... virtually?**

**an1995616: Bad side effects? I'd say Riku whipping his hair back and forth was good :P**

**Dreamstation369: I know this is kinda out od the blue, but was the long chapter a good thing? :S And OF COURSE I'm not adding sex in here! Rated T story guys! lol**

**Tyjet Ansatsu: It was pretty sexy wasn't it? Singing to teenage dream while making out? xD Of course I had to end it that way :P It needed that 'Kyorii class' lol. Oh, and by the way, since you call me lil ninja, I'm going to tell you something weird. Well, it wasn't really weird, just AWESOME. I was walking down the hall of my school one day and on the vent thingy on the roof, there was this sign. It said "Exit- ninjas only". I'm like "... I CAN DO THAT." lol**

**Jared Someone: JAARED! Omg, so sorry I haven't been on msn in like forever. I was _really _looking forward to what else you had to say about our collab story! It seemed to interesting and I'd love to collaberate with you! Please send me a message or something- I really wanna work on it with you T-T !**

**Did you guys know that when I planned this chapter like, a year ago, Kairi was supposed to sing a Ke$ha song? And I think Hope's band sang 'My First Kiss' and I was gonna have Hope and Vanille kiss that way :P But since the last chapter was LONG AS HECK, I didn't bother addind that tidbit in there. Lol, well, yeah, that's about it guys. I have to start working on my project that's due at the end of the week. And did I ever tell you guys I got straight 90 plus grades on my report card? I shat bricks, man. I have a 92% average. I have no freaking idea how I got that LOL. Anyway, till next time guys! To be honest, I think the next chapter is gonna be really cute :)**

**xoKyorii**


	23. How Much You Secretly Mean To Me

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Vanitas Hikari (Stage 1): **The birth father of Sora and Roxas. He is the parent responsible for taking care of Sora. The twins are not very fond of him (especially Sora) since he had always worked overseas, but they are grateful for his support nonetheless. And although Vanitas is strict, he really cares for his sons. Sora is the spitting image of Vanitas, minus their hair colour and their clashing personalities. Age 38.

**Aeris Aethon (Stage 1):** Vanitas' ex-wife, the birth mother of Sora and Roxas and the current wife of the wealthy Ignis Aethon. She is the parent responsible for taking care of Roxas. Although she had the boys at such a young age, Aeris is a very intelligent and talented woman who graduated from university at the mere age of sixteen. She has the infamous soft brown hair and striking blue eyes that both twins inherited. She is the favoured parent. Age 35.

**A/N: **Yes, Aeris is much like Aerith. So creative, I know lol. Also be sure to check out my new video on youtube if you got the time- AznRokrUchiha :)

And this is a _very_ important note. Jared Someone, if you are reading this, I am so sorry I couldn't do anything for your birthday. I was so unbelievably busy. So you know what? I'm dedicating this chapter to you. I hope you had a wonderful 18th birthday, Jared. My fanfiction buddy is all grown up now T.T And as for all the other fans reading this, wish Jared a belated Happy Birthday! If you don't, he'll slice you with his buster sword. I'm not joking. He actually bought one.

* * *

**. Chapter XXIII .**

_**. How Much You Secretly Mean To Me .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"I'm going to ask her to marry me."_

**Destiny Islands, 16 years ago**

"Mommy," A two-year-old cooed from his high chair, "Where's daddy?"

"Roxas, sweetie," A beautiful brunette woman took a bowl from the kitchen counter before setting herself in front of him, "I told you that daddy's in Palumpolum. He has to work there so we can live here and have food to eat." Aeris then faked a smile and ruffled Roxas' brown hair. She took a spoonful of food from the bowl and carefully placed it into his mouth. He gurgled in joy.

She loved her twins with all her heart- they were_ adorable_. And they had the most large radiant blue eyes she had ever seen- they were even much better than her own.

Roxas' bouncier twin brother sat next to him in his own high chair with a puzzled expression, "Pawumpowum? Where's dat?"

His mother chuckled after also feeding him a spoonful, "Palumpolum. It's very far away, Sora."

"Mommy, when is he coming back? I miss daddy."

Sora's mother sighed and stroked the heads of her beloved twins, "I miss daddy too."

**Eden, 11 years ago **

Seven-year-old twins Sora and Roxas sat on a park bench, elbows resting on their knees and faces resting in their hands. All around them were kids running around and laughing with their fathers. Their five-year-old cousin Hope parked his new bike right in front of them, "Sora, Roxas, what's wrong?"

"We don't have a dad, that's what." Sora huffed while removing his helmet. Roxas began laughing at his twin brother, "Ahaha, your hair's all over the place!"

Sora stuck out his tongue, "I like it this way! It looks kinda cool! I'm gonna make it just like this when I grow up!"

When their childish laughter died down, Roxas mumbled with his brown locks covering his eyes (yes, he went through the bowl cut stage), "Hey Hope, who taught you how to ride a bike?"

"Uhhm," The white-haired boy tapped his chin, "My dad. When I was five... so, two months ago really. Even if he isn't home much, he still promised me that he'd teach me how to ride a bike someday, and he did!" Hope squeaked and giggled with a goofy smile on his face.

"Uncle Bartholemew, huh?" Sora grumbled. The twins secretly envied their cousin's laughter. How jealous they were of him! Even if Bartholemew rarely came to visit, he still found the time to teach his son how to ride a bike. It was tradition that fathers taught their children how to ride a bike. Sora and Roxas were taught by their mother and her friend. They hadn't seen their father since they were three.

**Destiny Islands, 2 and a half years ago**

_Knock knock knock._

"Go away!" Grumbled an angry brunet.

_Knock knock knock!_

"I said go away!"

_KNOCK KNO-_

When a very irritated Roxas answered the door, Sora regretted his decision to bang on his brother's door uncontrollably. When his twin brother was woken up for no apparent reason, he turned into Sephiroth on Proud Mode x100. "Sora, damn, I was trying to sleep you know."

"_Trying_?" Sora asked suspiciously as he stepped into the room without permission, "It's three in the morning and we have school tomorrow. You haven't been asleep this whole time either?"

"How can I with all the ruckus downstairs?" Roxas mumbled as he shut the door. Roxas wasn't usually in such a sour mood, but given the cirumstances, anyone would understand.

Aeris and Vanitas were fighting in the kitchen again. They had done it so many times that it became a daily routine. Even from the second floor with Roxas' door shut they could hear the venom in both their voices. When Vanitas announced that they were all going to move back to Destiny Islands as a family, everyone but Sora was overjoyed. He was happy, but he thought that when your father finally decides to live as a family when you're already sixteen, you'd start to think it's too late. Plus Vanitas only came home during bedtime. And in two years, the twins would be off to university.

Roxas plopped back down on his bed groggily, "So was dad happy about the good news?"

Sora gave him a disbelieving look, "Please, the _mailman_ was more excited about my license than he was."

"You didn't even tell him, did you?"

"I did. He lectured me about how I was too young to drive and didn't even look at the card. Then for some awfully retarded reason, he brings up Kairi and starts telling me that I'm too young to have a girlfriend."

"Wow. #1 dad." Roxas' voice was coated in sarcasm as he waved an imginary foam finger. His twin plopped down next to him and sighed, "Doesn't seem very great to have dad around now, does it?"

"Sora, it seems rude to say that," Roxas puffed his cheeks, "But yeah. It kinda sucks. He won't even let me dye my hair blond."

"You would look pretty sexy." Sora's attempt at a joke miserably failed, "Maybe he's just trying to look out for us."

Roxas laughed as if Sora just said that he still believed in Santa Claus, "Maybe."

It felt like the billionth time they kept each other company throughout the night while their parents fought downstairs. They were just one big happy family.

* * *

**Present Day**

"Hi mom, hi dad." Roxas waved casually. Sora, on the other hand, went for another approach. How his brother stayed calm and collected was beyond him. Their _parents_ were standing side by side without spewing venom in each other's faces! This _had_ to be a hoax! But before Sora unleashed his anger towards his father, he gave his mother a kind smile and a wave. Then he broke the facade.

"Dad, what the hell are you doing here?" He didn't mean to sound rude- oh, hell, he _did_ mean to sound rude. _You choose now to see us? You were never there when we needed you! And now you want to destroy my summer and my freedom?_

"Sora, please don't yell." His mother pleaded, "You're scaring Kairi." Sora hadn't even noticed that Kairi's hands were still resting on his chest. They looked fragile and shook with fear. As they fell to her sides, he placed an arm around her shoulders for reassurance and apologized.

"Hello Aeris... Vanitas..." She greeted the twin's father in a more fearful manner. She felt more comfortable around Sora's mother- she was much less intimidating than his father. Vanitas was somewhat like a spitting image of a gothic, emotionless Sora whereas Aeris had the comforting blue eyes and perfect smile. Kairi was confident to say that she was fond of the woman. Aeris was fond of Kairi, too. In fact, when she had met Sora's parents, Aeris was the only one there. Vanitas was always gone. Kairi had only met him once and that was because he had forgotten something at home.

"Hello dear." Aeris sent Kairi her signature warm smile. Vanitas just aknowledged her with a nod. His stern face was really getting on Sora's nerves. Not once had Vanitas respected his girlfriend.

Axel leaned down to Roxas' level and whispered, "Tell me again why Sora chose to live with his father?"

Roxas answered with a simple, "The divorce lawyer thought it was a good idea."

The pyromaniac rolled his eyes, "That lawyer was drunk."

"Father, you never answered me," Sora took his mother's word and resisted any urges to yell, "Why are you here?"

"Roxas called me." He responded with his usual cold voice. Sora looked at his brother as if he was crazy.

Roxas placed his hands in front of his chest in defence, "Sora, I called mom and dad to bring back what was lost. I told them how you felt the other day, what you told me backstage, how angry and miserable you were..."

"Sora, is that really how you've felt all this time?" For once in his life, Sora actually heard the sincerity in his father's voice. He nodded without hesitation in response to his father's question. Then with a heavy sigh, he told him why. People say that there's a first time for everything, and this was the first time that Sora and his father actually got to express their feelings towards each other face to face. He was going to go all out on this one.

"Dad, I really do appreciate it that you've been supporting us overseas, but it's the fact that you never visited us that makes me unbelievably angry. Mom didn't have a husband to help raise her kids and Roxas and I... well, Roxas and I practically grew up without a father. We barely saw you, and everytime we did, you would always judge us so harshly and limit our freedom. Our family can't have a happy ever after anymore- it's too late for that. Roxas and I are going off to start our own lives soon. All the years you weren't with us can't be brought back anymore. Everytime someone asks me about what memories I have with my father, I'll have nothing to say. Well, nothing_ good _to say. I can't even talk about how happy I was when he taught me how to ride a bike or support me in my soccer games when I was a kid because, well, it never happened. It can never happen."

"I can always teach you aga-" Sora refrained his father from interupting, "No, dad, you can't teach me anymore. I'm _eighteen_. An adult, such as myself, doesn't need to be taught how to ride a _bike_ when I already have my _motorcycle_ license."

And before he continued to rant, Sora heard the words he thought he'd never hear come out of his father's mouth, "Sora, I'm sorry."

"And another thi- wait, what?" The arm Sora had around Kairi's shoulders fell to his side in disbelief. The airport suddenly became dead silent and unmoving.

"I'm sorry." He repeated without hesitation, "I'm sorry I haven't been the best father to you and Roxas."

"No chiz." Roxas elbowed Axel in the gut for ruining such a dramatic moment. Sora, however, decided to live in it, "Dad..."

"I know I can't bring back time and I know you will never forgive me for being such a terrible father," Vanitas admitted, "But I just want to help you while I can, Sora. It hurts to know that my own children hate me."

"We don't _hate_ you, dad." Roxas butted in, "We're just... disappointed."

"Disappointed like you always are when you see us." Sora muttered, "Tell me... did Roxas pay you to apologize?"

_Ouch_, Kairi felt a pang in her chest from Sora's doubt. If it hurt her to hear that, she wondered how hard Vanitas was secretly taking it.

"When Roxas called me this morning, I couldn't care less about how you felt coming home." Sora hissed at his father's unkind honesty, "But I came here out of my own free will. Roxas didn't pay me. I wanted to do this. I wanted to do several things, actually. First, I wanted to thank her-" Vanitas pointed at an astounded Kairi, "- personally because during my absence, I noticed that she makes you happy beyond belief. A few years back I remember hearing you sing in the morning. Sometimes I even saw you dance when I came home. I assumed it was because of her. Recently, I've see it on television, I hear it from Roxas... so, thank you, Kairi. Thank you for taking care of my son."

_But all I've done is destroy him..._ With a meek nod, Sora put an arm around her frozen body proudly. She had no idea how to respond to that. She was still suffering from shock at the fact that Vanitas actually knew her name.

"Second, I wanted to tell you that after eighteen years, I'm sorry. You don't have to forgive me. I just wanted to get that off my chest. I also wanted to let you know that I'm not trying to destroy your life." Vanitas noticed the slight twitch in Sora's eye, "I didn't want your opinion about coming home because I knew that you'd say no. Sora, I forced you to come home because I wanted you to be safe. Do you think I _want_ to separate you from the people who can actually make you smile? I'm not _that_ heartless. You're miserable in Palumpolum. If you're going to be happy somewhere else, then so be it. I'd let you enjoy it as much as you want. And I'm strict with you because I care. I don't visit because I'm busy working to keep you alive and to get you into a good school. I want you to have a bright future. Ever since you and Roxas were born, I've only wanted what was best for you. I'm sorry that I conveyed that message wrong. I know it took me eighteen years to get this right, but I'm sorry. Truly, I am."

Roxas, being the far more sensetive twin, felt tears welling up in his eyes. Sora was just as frozen and shocked as Kairi.

"And third," Vanitas took a deep breath, "We're going on a family vacation."

If Sora's arm wasn't draped around Kairi shoulders, he would've fallen to the floor. His whole body went numb because of six unfathomable words, "Wh-What?"

"I haven't properly given the both of you your birthday presents yet," Aeris was clearly trying to hold back an excited smile, "So here it is. A family vacation. Right here on Kingdom Hearts Resort. Us as a family. No fights, I promise. Just family bonding on this island full of teenagers."

"But you're _old_." Axel rudely pointed out. Roxas slapped him across the head.

"I am aware of that Mr. Oryxine," Vanitas said formally through gritted teeth, "But Mr. Aethon has made a rather irresistible offer to Solice Strife and has allowed us to stay for one night. In a separate bungalow, of course."

"So... I have one extra night here?" Sora's lip quivered with a fake smile. One on hand, Sora thought he should be grateful. But on the other hand, he knew it wasn't enough considering that he and Kairi were practically back together. He didn't want to leave her again after just getting her back.

"As for _my_ present," Vanitas paused for dramatic effect, "I'm giving you twenty-five extra nights."

Sora fell to the floor in pure shock. He slowly crawled over to his father on all fours and took his right hand with both of his, "Thank you, father. Thank you. All is forgiven, just, just... thank you."

"But I still have to punish you for putting yourself in danger," Vanitas scolded, "So from here on out, you're paying for your own cell phone bill."

"Yes, yes, that's fine... anything is fine... thank you." And that's when Sora turned into a blubbering wreck.

"So wait, does this mean Sora's staying?" The infamous pyromaniac suddenly broke into an excited sprint around the airport, "YEAH BABY! WE'RE GONNA WIN BATTLE OF THE BANDS! YEAH! WOOOOO! WE'RE GONNA BE RICH AND FAMOUS! YEAAAAHHHH BOY! WE'RE GONNA KICK CLOUD STRIFE'S BALLS! COME ON SORA-" He took the blubbering brunet by the arm and started dragging him across the floor, "TIME TO PRACTICE!"

Roxas cleared his throat. Axel stopped abruptly and rubbed his head sheepishly, "Hahaha. Yeah. Do your family thing first."

When Axel released Sora from his grasp, he immediately stood up and dusted off the white marks on his jeans. Afterwards, he saw eye-to-eye with his own twin brother. Sora was at a loss of words. Roxas had done so much for him that it was unbelievable.

"First you go through all this pain with me, then you support me to no end, then it was a motorcycle, then you re-unite our family, and now you let me stay... Roxas, how can I ever repay you?" Sora asked.

"Just get back together with Kairi and win Battle of The Bands, please." Roxas answered sarcastically with a smirk, "Otherwise, I did all this for nothing."

"You did this for _everything_." Sora offered his hand, "You changed my life today."

"Sora, stop," Roxas whimpered with teary eyes as he shook his brother's hand, "You're promoting twincest. Being an awesome brother is payment enough."

"Oh, _ew_," Axel held his throat in disgust, "Can you _stop_? You're emasculating me."

"Roxie," The sunkist blond felt the grip around his hand tighten. The twins clearly didn't care about Axel's complaints. In three seconds flat, Sora lunged forward and enveloped him in the tightest hug possible, "You are the bestest, sexiest most epic twin brother _ever_!"

"I know, I know," Roxas gently pushed his brother away, "Now stop. Axel's right. I'm strangely getting attracted to you."

"You're making me regret my dramatic speech," Vanitas sarcastically said with a- what was that? A _smirk_? - before placing an arm around both his son's shoulders, "I have the oddest yet nicest sons ever. I am who I am because I care, is that clear?"

"Crystal. Thanks, dad." Roxas and Sora said in unison. They had never felt their father's arms around them before. Well, ever since they were babies. They both had to admit, it felt... _really _good. They felt accomplished. Aeris also joined in the group hug with her comforting motherly presence. Axel and Kairi started walking away awkwardly until they heard Sora whistle.

"Kairi," He nudged his head as a gesture to invite her over. She nervously obeyed and rushed to his side. It felt more welcoming than she had anticipated. Then Axel pouted in Roxas' direction. Rolling his eyes sarcastically, the sunkist blond invited him into the family moment. For once, their family felt perfect. Everyone thought it was impossible for something so broken to be fixed. It was just like the Hikari household. Sora thought it was too late for a happy ever after, but...

He was wrong.

* * *

**The next day**

"... after lunch, you're scheduled to rehearse for four hours then attend a photoshoot in the late afternoon which you must provide your own transportation for. Afterwards, Axel has requested another rehearsal at the home studio. By the time your second rehearsal is finished, the pictures from the photoshoot will be printed and ready for distribution. You will then sign autographs for your fans and promote your new CD (which includes every performance you have done) at a tent Pence, Aqua and I will set up. The tent will be located in the amusement park. Terra will stand by you when needed. Please do not be truant, Sora. You are by far the most important member of the band. As for tomorrow, you are scheduled to wake up at 6AM and work out for two hours. Afterwards, you may eat breakfast at a brisk pace then meet Axel in the home studio for another rehearsal. After that..."

As Ventus continued to read Sora's busy schedule (everyone was half-expecting Aqua to do it but she had been missing for the past few days), the lead singer himself resisted the urge to slam his head onto his plate. Everyone was seated in the dining room enjoying the delicious meal Roxas had made for them while listening to the calming sounds of the waves crashing outside. Ironically, every member of the Oathkeepers was nowhere near calm. Especially Sora. When he returned, he expected things to either be exactly the same or better. His_ relationships _were better (everyone, including Riku, was overjoyed at his surprising return), but his freedom was not.

"I kind of regret not going to Palumpolum." He confessed with a murmur.

He felt Kairi, who was seated beside him, poke his side with the end of her spoon, "Because moping around all day with an acoustic guitar at home is much better than having fans scream your name everywhere you go. You should be thankful, Sora. Everyone else is."

His lips slowly curved into a smile as he watched Kairi eat a piece of scrambled egg. It fell from her fork before she even took a bite out of it. She huffed and pouted.

Sora giggled quietly so that Ventus wouldn't assume that he wasn't paying attention, "You're really cute, you know that?"

"I'm not wearing any make-up yet, Sora." Kairi mumbled with a half-full mouth. He leaned in closer to her face, "Your point?"

Before his lips could touch hers, Ventus slammed the planner onto the dining table, "Sorry, I don't have romance scheduled in here."

"You don't have_ fun_ scheduled in there either." Then Hayner let out a loud, impolite burp. The look of disgust was evident on all the girls faces. Sora claimed he could do better but he didn't bother proving it. Axel just called him soft.

"Whoa," Hayner was oddly shocked, "That's _so_ weird. You know how when you burp you can sort of taste the last thing you just ate? I just tasted pizza. What the hell. I didn't even eat pizza!"

Selphie threw her used napkins in his face, "That's _gross_! Why would guys even notice that?"

"Guys!" Olette clearly didn't mind upstaging the two bickering children, "Look what I found in the mail!"

In Olette's hand were thirteen gold envelopes, each with a silver name engraved on its side. Each one was adressed to someone in the household. Axel was the first to rip his open.

"You've been cordially invited to... what the hell is this shit? !" Axel gave the formal looking letter an odd look. It was probably the first time he had ever received such a fancy looking invitation. Everyone else read in silence as Olette explained the contents of the letter.

"This Saturday is the third year anniversary of Kingdom Hearts Resort," The braided brunet paced around as she continued to enlighten the household on the subject, "During these year anniversaries, Solice Strife has made it tradition to hold an extremely sumptuous party located in the Castle of Dreams. Only a selected amount of elite people are invited to this party, and lucky for us, we're one of the selected few!"

"There's an orange sticker on mine," Hayner pointed out with a disgusted look, "Does that mean something?" The gamer now hated orange. It reminded him of the girl that broke his heart.

"I have it, too." Riku showed his invitation as proof. Axel, Sora and Roxas also had similar coloured stickers.

"If you have an orange sticker, that means you'll be one of the performers." Olette answered, "I guess he wants the Oathkeepers to perform. Keep in mind that every inch of this party will be aired on live television." Axel punched an excited fist into the air. He was up for any form of publicity.

"I have a red one on mine." Kairi's brows curved in confusion. Sora looked just as confused, "I do, too. It has Kairi's name next to it as well." As for Kairi, _Sora Hikari _was written next to the sticker.

Olette dropped her own invitation in shock and rushed to their sides as if she didn't believe them, "Oh my gosh, you _do_ have the red sticker! That means you'll be part of the _extremely_ lucky few who get to be in the _'Infractus Tango'_!"

"Well this can't be good." Sora gulped. Kairi, on the other hand, looked intrigued.

"The _Infractus Tango_ is only for the highly prestigious teenagers on the island. Only eighteen of them are chosen. Nine boys and nine girls. These eighteen are well-known for something on the island. They are paired together to perform one of Solice's favourite dances; the _Infractus Tango_. If you're in this tango, you're basically going to be treated like Kings and Queens at the party. As you all can tell by the invitation, this is a _very_ formal party."

"Namine and I have it, too." Roxas gladly took his girlfriends hand and kissed it gently, "May I have this dance then, Nami?" The girls (minus Xion) cooed whereas Hayner went to induce his vomit by a nearby plant.

Just as Kairi expected Sora to do the same as Roxas, he went to speak with Olette instead (this slightly disappointed her), "So, this tango... what if you don't know how to tango?"

"Well, first of all, its mandatory to be in the Infractus Tango if you've been chosen to be in it. So even if you can't dance, you can't run." Olette then took Hayner by both his hands and borught their chests together in one swift movement, "As for the learning how to dance part, there will be approximately three two hour mandatory practices this week. They will find a way to contact you and give you details." Hayner pulled away immediately. Olette decided not to make a scene and talk about it later.

When Ventus started jotting down more notes in the schedule book (he was most likely booking Sora's dance practice), Sora cared less about Roxas' delicious meal. His head slammed right into his cereal bowl.

The Roxas look-alike scolded him, "Sora, look what you've done! Now you have to clean yourself up! We'll be five minutes behind schedule! Go, go! Wash your face!" Sora flipped him off regardless of his position. Kairi pulled on the back of his gravity defying hair and brought up his milk covered face. She took an unused handkerchief from the table and slowly began stroking his face. He cheesily held her hand in place and grinned.

"On the bright side, I at least get to dance with you amongst all this chaos. At least _that_ will give me a sense of tranquility." He placed his forehead against hers. She blushed; he noticed. He took this as an opportunity to lean in and kiss her quickly. He succeeded. She watched in awe as he left to wash his face. Kairi certainly did not see that coming.

When Sora was out of earshot, Selphie then asked the question that everyone was probably thinking, "Are you two dating?"

"To be honest," Kairi absentmindedly poked at her bacon with an unsure look on her face, "I don't even know."

**Oathkeeper Practice Room**

"So how was your-" Hayner made the air quote gesture with his free hand (the other was occupied with a DSI), "-'vacation' with your mom and dad?" In all honesty, the gamer didn't care 100%. In fact, he cared about half. No, a quarter. _Okay, a quarter minus one,_ he admitted himself. His mind was just so focused on Olette and his broken heart.

Though Sora could see that Hayner clearly didn't give a rat's a** about his family vacation, he went along with it anyway, "It was _great_. Seriously. I never knew that father-son bonding was actually fun. Even if it didn't even last a full day, it was the best fourteen hours of my life. We went around downtown, had dinner, explored the island... I'll admit it was a little awkward being with adults, though. But I guess it's never too late for happy ever after after all."

"So I'm guessing you bawled at the airport this morning when they had to leave?"

"Roxas did."

"Bs. How many tears fell down your face?"

"For the record, it was much less than Rox-"

"How many?"

"Two."

"LIES!" Hayner declared.

"Okay, fifteen!" Sora confessed.

The gamer began laughing at his insecurity, "You count your own tears? You, my friend, have turned into an oversensitive wreck."

"Who cares?" Sora leaned back comfortably on the black reclining chair he was sitting on, "I got to spend time with my dad after, well... forever. Don't you have fun spending time with your father?"

"My father died when I was two. I've been living with my mother and younger brother my whole life."

The air just got awkward, _fast_. Sora then felt selfish. All his life he was complaining about his father being overseas while Hayner didn't have a father at all. It made him remember that there was always somebody out there who had it worse than him.

"Don't say your sorry," Hayner read his mind whilst resuming the game on his DSI, "I've heard it way too much. It's obviously not your fault."

"I'm just sorry for bringing it up." Sora said nervously. When Roxas, Riku and Axel entered the studio, Sora felt his heart start beating again. The awkward air had diminished and was replaced with a more refreshing one. "The polls have been checked on the internet," Roxas informed, "The band that was eliminated was Fabula Nova Crystallis."

"Hope and Light's band? Aww," The lead singer held his heavy heart in dismay, "I feel bad. We asked them to collaberate with us and _they're_ the ones who get kicked out first? Wow. We're such douchenozzles."

"Too bad, so sad," Axel slammed a pile of sheet music onto the transparent table in the center of the room, "It's not like they needed the money anyway. We, however, need it for an actual reason. Now, let's get started on our next performance. It's crucial we do well since there's only three of us left."

"What's the challenge this week?" Sora asked while impatiently drumming his fingers on the edge of the circular table.

"You _might_ just shoot yourself, Sora." Roxas braced his brother for the answer, "It's emotional week. The rules are to sing an emotional song."

"Please. That's it?"

"Don't get too excited now," His twin brother shook his finger as a warning, "This challenge is really tefsting the lead singer. Can the lead singer move the crowd? Can they make the audience empathize with them? In other words, you have to do one hell of a job, Sora. This is _your_ time to shine. Make the audience feel what you feel onstage. You're only allowed to have on accompanist, which Axel has chosen to be me. We're only allowed to have two instruments, too. You'll take the acoustic guitar and I'll take the keyboard. The good thing about the keyboard is that we can mix it with violins, too."

"So judging by your choice of instruments, I'm guessing you want me to make the audience cry?"

"Yes, but I'm sure that with all the rehearsing you'll be doing, you'll be the first to cry." With a smirk, Axel opened the door into the recording studio. Their recording studio was fairly nice with the red cushioned, soundproof walls and sleek black marble flooring with the occasional carpets here and there. On the walls were The Oathkeeper's accomplishments, including a frame that displayed a certificate that signified their position as one of the top three bands. Other items on the wall included posters, pictures and records.

In the middle lay a cirular mic that was attached from the roof along with a set of headphones. Sora placed a stool in front of it and positioned himself with his acoustic guitar. Roxas joined him and went to the keyboard adjacent to his brother.

Axel spoke to them from the mic in the control room, "So, Sora... how much do you love Kairi?"

"Um... a lot?" Sora gave him the 'are you freaking stupid?' look topped with the 'why the hell are you asking' stare.

"Good. I want you to base all your powerful emotions of _undying love_ in this song. Now tell me, how many pictures do you have with her?" Sora could see the growing smirk on Axel's face.

"Why?" The brunet found himself sounding squeaky.

"Because we're going to play a slideshow of those pictures in the background while you sing. This performance is dedicated to Kairi, understand? I want you to win her heart when you sing this song! By the end of your performance, I want her to run up to you and like... sex you up, okay? This is gonna have people talking for awhile."

"Wait, I have _so_ many issues with that- !" Before Sora could finish, Axel hit the record button.

* * *

"Xion, I'm going to the tea shop with Namine and Selphie. Do you want anything?"

When Xion looked up from the novel she was reading on the couch, she was surprised to find that the voice directed towards her belonged to none other than her ex-mortal enemy, Kairi Lovelock. She envied Kairi in every aspect- her beauty, her brains, her charm... she had it all, including the man she once wanted. It wasn't that Xion hated her, it was just that she was... well, disappointed. She had everything at her feet and she had the decency to complain about it all.

Nonetheless she was still overjoyed that Kairi even spoke to her. It was the very first time Kairi had actually spoken to her in such a nice tone. Maybe that farewell speech Sora had given her changed more things than she thought. "Um, sure. Can you order me a strawberry black milk bubble tea with large tapioca? I'll give you the money right now."

Just as Xion reached into her pocket for her wallet, Kairi stopped her, "It's fine. I got it. What size would you like?"

The raven-haired girl felt speechless. Did Kairi just offer to buy something for her? Did Kairi, the girl she swore hated her with all her life, just do something _nice_ for her? _Thank you, Sora_. Xion mentally felt overwhelming happiness. If she confidently showed her emotions, Kairi might think that she was a weirdo and change her mind.

"U-Uh... small, thanks." Xion gave her the most held back grin possible. Kairi briskly nodded with a smile and left to put on her shoes by the door. When the door shut, Xion felt her smile unleash full out. Just as if it were planned, Riku came walking down the stairs wearing absolutely no make-up, a simple white v-neck shirt and ripped jeans. His arms were tenderly bandaged and cured by the nurturing hands of Namine and Roxas.

"What happened to you?" Riku asked while waving a pale hand in front of her face, "You're smiling like an idiot. Did something happen?"

"It's nothing, Riku," Her expression did not falter, "Just... nothing."

**Tea Shop**

"Thank you!" As Kairi appreciated the work of the young woman at the counter with a bubbly smile, she turned around with her tray of drinks to return to her best friend and cousin only to have herself slam into 'The Bitch'. Just like in the movies, his reflexes allowed him to catch every drink that fell from her tray. While rolling her eyes, she took the tray from his hands and began to talk away without another word. This was their first direct interaction ever since the breakup.

"Kairi, wait." Cloud said in his usual monotone voice, taking her hand. She shook it off and listened to his bull without facing him, "You don't have to look at me, but I just want to let you know that I'm truly sorry. It wasn't my idea. I was paid."

"Oh, so you were _paid_ to love me?" Kairi said with gritted teeth, "That makes things better. Anymore crap you want to tell me?"

"Seeing as I can't do anything to change your mind, let me make it up to you. I'll give you anything you want."

"I have Sora. I have everything I need." _Wow, did I really just say that? _

"Let me do you a favour. Anything. I can have it done."

"Can you go away?" She demanded harshly.

"Fine, fine. I will... on one condition. Have dinner with me- _only_ me. I'll pay for every expense."

In the next second, a red mark was evident on Cloud's cheek. This caught the attention of the whole shop. A very angry Kairi frowned before him, "Are you _stupid_? Do you really expect me to have dinner with someone who cheated on me? Or, wait, sorry... someone who was paid to love me?"

"Let it be my way of formally apologizing," He bowed before her, "Kairi please. Even if you say no, I will find a way to get you."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Are you challenging me?" He took a confident step towards her.

"Just go away, Cloud. Forever." As Kairi took a step away from him, she added, "I hope that everytime you see me, you're reminded of the pain that slap caused you. It may not hurt you physically, but I hope it does emotionally. What you did to me doesn't even compare to that. Even if it was for one second, I wanted you to feel the pain of your own actions. I hope it hurts, asshole."

As Kairi walked away with her fruity drinks, the whole audience began to clap. When Kairi returned to her designated area with Selphie and Namine, she received affectionate and proud hugs from both of them. When all the whispering and gossip died down, the three began to have a semi-casual conversation.

"Wh-What was that about?" Namine asked, a little shaky as she took a sip out of her steaming hot tea. This was exactly why she was afraid to go outdoors. People just ended up getting hurt.

"Just Cloud being an idiot. He thinks he can buy his way to my good side." Then Kairi took a self-concious sip from her mango milk bubble tea, "W-Was slapping him too much? I mean, the whole shop was watching... I bet its been tweeted already. Heck, I bet it'll be on the news tonight."

"W-Well, the slap was pretty rude." The flaxen-haired girl hid under her white jumper like a turtle. Selphie scolded her, "Are you _crazy_? That cheater deserved it! Bravo, Kairi! Bravo! I couldn't have done it better myself!"

"He also told me that he was paid to cheat on me. What sick mind would come up with something like that?" Kairi's sips then turned angry and desperate.

"I'll tell you who," Selphie put on her aviators from dramatic effect, "Aqua. On the outside, she's a decent human being with nice style. On the inside, she's sick. Not in the cool way. She's just sick-minded. Who almost got Sora killed? Yeah, I thought so."

"But we can't just judge her like that." Namine pointed out innocently (although her voice came out muffled since she was still hiding in her jumper sweater).

"I don't care. I want Aqua fired. Ever since that incident, I just don't want to see her face." Selphie sipped on her pina colada with a determined curve in her eyes.

"I don't want to talk about this..." With an unsure look on her face, Kairi stood from her chair, "Please give Xion her bubble tea. I feel like taking a walk. I'm sorry. I'll see you at home." Without another word, Kairi placed her hood over her head and left the shop. Before Namine could comment, Selphie refrained her from speaking.

"Give her time to think. At times like this, its best to leave her alone."

* * *

"Yes, _beautiful_ Roxas, beautiful! Now Axel, you're doing an amazing job, but can you just put your hand on Roxas' cheek? Yes, just like that. Oh, _perfect_! Beautiful!"

"We're shirtless. We're wearing make-up. A _guy_, and I'm pretty sure he's homosexual, is calling us beautiful and is taking pictures of us. He's also asking you to touch me inappropriately. I'm just saying... don't you feel the least bit uncomfortable?" Roxas never imagined that he would be in such a position with his best friend. He had never felt so unshrouded.

Nearby the center of the island was a tranquil park filled with healthy trees, grass and flowers. It was a popular attraction for teenagers who wanted to go out for a peaceful stroll. But of course, whenever The Oathkeepers were involved, nothing was ever peaceful. In the middle of the stoned pathway and the lake was the band's set for the photo shoot. White backdrops, green screens, tripods, props, lights, costumes, artists of all sorts all dressed in black and cameras bigger than Sora's head (his hair inclusive) were all over the place. This attracted the attention of many bystanders.

But the attention was mainly focused on Axel and Roxas.

Both males (shirtless, mind you) were only dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and were ordered to pose suggestively on a red velvet couch. The pyromaniac was spread across the couch and kept balance with his elbow. While one hand was poised on the side of his face, the other obeyed what the photographer had demanded and went up to twirl one of Roxas' spikes. The sun-kissed blond was ordered to sit on the armrest of the couch and look at the palm of his hand dramatically.

"Roxie, they're merely _enhancing_ our features with the make-up," Axel looked as if everything was natural, "Besides, if this is what it takes to win the competition, then I'll give those fangirls all the bromance they want!"

"Speak for yourself," Roxas mumbled, "This here is exactly why I'm going to end up leaving the resort single."

"Marvelous, gentlemen! Parfait! Everybody take 10!" The so-called 'homosexual' photographer adjusted his square-framed glasses and snapped his fingers. The staff dispersed. Axel and Roxas immediately jumped off the couch and threw a shirt on.

"Augh, never again." Roxas swore. When Hayner laughed at him from the corner of the set, he found a set chair being thrown at him. Hayner, being athletically unstable, fell onto the fence and flipped into the lake. Terra was then ordered to fish the flailing gamer out of the water by Ventus.

"This isn't fair. Why didn't Sora or Riku have to do this?" Roxas whined as he joined Axel at the dessert table.

"Because the audience wants Sora with Kairi and… well, I think Riku is self-explanatory." Axel snickered at the thought of Riku draping himself half-naked on a velvet couch. In reality, the platinum haired boy was actually getting ready for his solo shots. He was being oddly obedient lately.

Just as Roxas was about to take a bite out of a cream puff, his eyes dwindled onto a familiar hooded redhead. She walked at a slow, depressing pace, which was why it was easy to decipher her from the other bystanders.

"Kairi!" Roxas hollered, gesturing her to come over. She looked up looking shocked and confused. She found a blond boy waving his arms at her and realized that it was her cousin's boyfriend. She walked over to him without the usual bounce in her step.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes." He grinned in hopes that the compliment would make her feel better. It didn't work. "Kairi, what's wrong?"

"So this is where your photo shoot is, huh," It was evident that Kairi was trying to dodge the subject, "Where's Sora?"

As if it were planned, the rev of an engine roared. Then the sound of rubber scraping on a paved surface grew closer and eventually stopped. About five meters away from Roxas and Kairi was a fancy red motorcycle. Teens nearby screamed in terror from almost getting hit by the high-tech vehicle. The engine rumbled softly then came to a halt when the driver snapped his fingers. Just like in the movies, the rider got off his bike and removed his helmet slowly in order to reveal his identity more dramatically.

"That wasn't flashy at all, Sora." Roxas derided. As for Kairi, she fathomed over the fact that Sora's hair managed to stick up the way it did even when his skintight helmet came off.

"I'm not going to lie; I feel really cool right now." And that's when his bad boy façade wore off. Sweet, honest, silly Sora had returned. "Oh, Kairi," He acknowledged her presence by kissing her cheek, "Always a pleasure to see you. What are you doi- hey, why the long face? Did something hap-"

"Sora, about time!" Axel growled, "Get your ass over here and change! You're going right after Riku, got it memorized?"

After hearing the austerity in Axel's voice, Sora realized that he had to start taking things seriously again, "Kairi, I'll be right back, okay? Just hang here with Roxas for a bit."

As Sora ran towards the tent to change and get his makeup done, Kairi brought a hand up to her cheek and touched the spot Sora had kissed. Roxas began giggling like an anime schoolgirl at her actions.

"Just like two years ago, I see." He poked her cheek to tease her, "Do you like him now or something?"

"To _like _him is an understatement." She replied emotionlessly.

"Yeesh, I expected that confession to be in a more joyful tone. Smile, Kairi. You're starting to sound like Cloud." The redhead flinched. Roxas had caught her, "Oh, I see. What happened between you two?"

As her cousin's boyfriend and her ex-boyfriend's twin brother, Kairi felt comfortable enough with Roxas to discuss these kind of things with him, so she told him. Every last bit. Every single word and action that took place in the teashop. By the end of it all, the look on Roxas'face was unreadable.

"You _slapped_ him? That's harsh," Roxas said honestly. Kairi continued to feel guilty. In fact, se started walking away until Roxas had dragged her back, "Stop, you're staying right here. I'm not saying what you did was wrong; I'm just saying that it was harsh. Harsh, but extremely necessary. You don't even need to worry about that idiot. Don't even think about him. He isn't worth your thoughts. Don't beat yourself down, Kai. You did the right thing in my opinion."

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face. Roxas was very convincing when he needed to be, "Thanks."

"No problem. Now, onto the part that really grabbed my attention," Roxas cleared his throat in order to reach a higher pitch to mimic Kairi, "'_I have Sora. I have everything I need_.' Now _that_, Ms. Lovelock, is deep. Care to elaborate?" The way he furrowed his brows made Kairi blush in embarrassment.

"I-I don't even know why I said that." Her voice came out more splintered than wanted.

"Did you mean it?" Roxas asked. Her own words echoed through her head as Sora walked onto the set looking gorgeous as ever. She watched intently as the photographer's assistants helped him adjust his electric guitar in order to make the pose work. When the photographer began counting down, Sora smiled. Kairi was mesmerized, and it wasn't because of the camera flash. Right before another picture was taken, Sora caught Kairi looking at him from the corner of his eye, so he waved.

She waved back, "Well, I guess. He's always been there for me. He always takes care of me. And on top of everything else, he can always make me happy," Then, slowly, Kairi hung her head low, "But I've been feeling bad about that lately. He does all these things for me and tries to make me happy whereas… well, I do nothing at all. He claims that I make him so happy, but I don't even know how. It just seems unfair. I feel terrible about it."

"Then ask him straight up," Roxas suggested, "Come on Kairi. We both know that Sora's the most honest guy ever." A flashback of Sora kissing Xion in Kairi's mind begged to differ, but bringing it up just might cause more problems. She didn't want to argue with Roxas.

"Yeah, we'll see." Their conversation ended for a while after that. The rest of the time was spent watching Sora get his pictures taken. Seeing as he was the lead singer, he had the most modeling to do. It amazed Kairi that he looked perfect in practically everything he was forced to wear. But it made her think about all the girls that would have this picture. They would all drool over his perfection. Indeed, Sora was perfect, but since he and Kairi were so close, she could point out his every flaw. She knew so many things about him that others didn't. No one knew him like she did.

After about half an hour, Roxas revived the conversation, "You said earlier that liking my brother was an understatement. So does that mean you love him?"

Kairi didn't answer the question instantly. She continued to watch Sora pose in front of the camera. The way he smiled, the way his bright blue eyes twinkled against the light... it was just so Sora. Then the photographer forced him to sing with his guitar in order to get natural pictures of him singing. The way he did everything was just so unique- no one else could imitate it. Sora was just Sora. Silly, sensetive, honest, talented- he was much different from everyone else. He had his own way of doing things. He wouldn't let anyone or anything destroy his individuality- Kairi loved that.

"Well, yeah." She responded a minute later with a smile on her face. She treated the question as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Roxas snickered, "Huh, yeah. Duh. It was a stupid question. After all, you two _are_ dating-"

"What?" Kairi snapped.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Roxas rubbed the back of his head gingerly, "I thought you two were... well, and you said that you lov-"

"Roxas, I do love Sora. I know it seems odd saying that seeing as I smacked him in the face with a door when I first got here and hated him with all my life, but... I don't know if I love him that way. I just know that I love him."

"Well you better find out what kind of love you feel for him soon because if you don't, you'd kinda be leading him on." Roxas warned, "After all, you two have been kissing an awful lot lately."

"We have." Kairi admitted while biting her lip, "But I don't see him that way right now. Ever since Cloud, I don't think I'm ready for another boyfriend."

"Well you better tell him soon. I'm sure hurting him is the last thing you wanna do." That was the last thing Roxas had told her. Axel had called the whole band in for a group shot. As Roxas joined The Oathkeepers on the set, Kairi thought about what her _boyfriend's_ brother just told her. Was it true? Did it really seem like she was dating Sora? She hadn't even noticed! Everything just seemed so natural!

"Alright everybody, that's a wrap! Excellent work! I'll see you all next week!" As the staff cheered and began packing up, the photographer called Sora over, "As for you Mr. Hikari, I'll see you later. We need to work on smiling with your eyes." Sora rolled his eyes and made his way over to Kairi. He pulled her into a friendly hug and apologized for his absence.

"Sorry, that took much longer than I thought." He pouted, "Now, where were we-"

"Sora!" Ventus called out. Sora turned to him with flaming eyes, "_What_? !"

In fear, Ventus took a step back with his hands in front of his chest defensively, "I-I was just going to say that since the photoshoot ended earlier than expected, you have an hour off to yourself. Just be sure to be at the tent later on to promote your CD, okay?" It was amazing how fast Sora's mood changed after that.

"You hear that Kai?" He jumped in excitement, "We have an hour off to ourselves! Let's go get some ice cream. I've been craving some for like five hours! You can tell me what's wrong on the way there, okay?" In the next second, Kairi found herself hand-in-hand with the person she loathed most when she first arrived. Roxas was right- it did appear as if they were dating. Only to her, it was just so normal. It was like it was supposed to be that way- that's why she didn't bother doing anything about it.

"Uh, Sora," Kairi pointed back at his motorcycle, "What are you going to do about that?"

"The ice cream shop isn't that far away from here. I'll have Ventus return it to the house somehow."

"Oh, and why was that photographer talking to you at the end?"

"Kairi Lovelock, were you watching me?" Sora asked in a teasing tone. When she blushed, Sora pressed his forehead to hers, "I'm just joking. He just wanted me to 'smile with my eyes' more next time we have a photoshoot."

"Why would he want you to smile with your eyes? Does he not find your natural smile satisfactory?" Kairi would have added much more about how much she loved his smile, but she didn't want to get too mushy. After all, she was the one who said that she didn't want a boyfriend. Sora was just her friend. A friend that she loved, held hands with and... occasionally kissed.

"Nah, it's not that," Kairi could see that Sora was leading them towards a boardwalk, "He just wants me to look professional. Remember how we'd laugh at those models who look really unhappy? He taught me that regardless of their melancholic expressions, their real emotions are actually in their eyes. They, without showing it with their lips, smile with their eyes. It's pretty cool, actually... if I knew how to do it."

Kairi let out a guilty chuckle. Roxas was right about her having to get things straight. Sora looked so happy talking and walking while holding her hand. She didn't want him to smile for all the wrong reasons. She needed to tell him. She needed to tell him that she loved him, but not the way he wanted her to. She wanted him happy, but not like this. Not like a lie.

"Sora-"

Just as the couple turned on the sharp corner that was the transition between the park and the boardwalk, a very young girl of about four with ashen hair came crashing into them. Sora immediately pulled away from Kairi and caught the poor girl as she lost balance and fell back. Luckily he saved her in time- a young infant no older than one was cradled in her arms along with a small porcelain china doll. When the girl looked Sora straight in the eye, the couple recognized her almost instantly.

"Luna and Astrium Strife," Sora marvelled at the sight of Cloud's younger sister and brother and he crouched down to their level, "What are you two doing here all alone? It's dangerous. The sun is setting."

Kairi couldn't help but smile at Sora's father figure. But she too was concerned for the two youngsters, "Are you two supposed to be with someone?"

"Yes," Luna admitted, out of breath, "We were supposed to be with Cloud and Tifa, but all they did was act all icky in front of us, so I ran away with Astrium."

Kairi's heart sank. Her slap meant nothing to Cloud. Sora, however, widened his eyes, "Do you know where they are? We have to get you back to them."

"No." Luna pouted, "I don't want to go back to them. They're not a very good mommy and daddy. They're no fun." Sora chuckled as he took little Astrium from Luna's chubby arms, "Well, as long as you're with us, we're going to make sure you have fun."

"Sora!" Kairi scolded, "We have to get them home! You have business to attend to!"

"Give me a break, Kairi. I've got tons of munny with me. I get paid for having such a pretty face, haha. And you heard Ventus. We have _one hour_. Besides," Sora leaned down next to Luna and pouted next to her, "How can you say no to these cute faces?"

After checking her watch, Kairi sighed in defeat, "Point taken. We'll watch them for a little bit. Now, where were we?"

"Ice cream!" Sora squealed in delight.

"Ice cream! Ice cream!" Luna cheered, sprinting towards the shop with her stubby legs. Kairi's jaw dropped at her outstanding speed for such a small child. On the other hand, Sora took it as a challenge. He carefully handed the wide-eyed Astrium and china doll to Kairi, "Better carry him. I'll take care of Luna." And with that, Sora ran after Luna effortlessly, "I'm coming to get you Luna! Raawwwwrrrr!"

Astrium snuggled into Kairi, gurgling in joy as his small hand went to touch her face. She grinned and rocked him back and forth, following the dinosaur-like Sora into the ice cream shop (although she had to admit; it was a little embarassing). But before she did, she placed Luna's special doll into her purse. When they arrived, Luna was already being held up on Sora's shoulder. Kairi wasn't kidding when she said that Sora was going to be a good father someday.

While Luna punched Sora's muscular back playfully, he just rubbed his chin decisively at the choice of flavours. "Hmm, Luna, what do you want?"

"For you to put me down!" She pleaded. Sora complied and flicked her nose after. She giggled, "I want sea-salt!"

Sora gave her a high five, "Good choice! I'm getting that too!" Then he caught sight of Kairi and grinned, "Strawberry, I assume?"

"You assumed correctly." Kairi noded in confirmation. Life was so much easier when you had someone that knew you so well. After Sora had paid for and ordered their ice cream, they resumed their walk on the boardwalk. Sora gave Luna a piggy back ride whereas Kairi continued to cradle Astrium in her arms. It was pretty awkward having to babysit children (and for once they weren't dolls) on an island full of teenagers, but given that the weather was so nice, Kairi didn't mind.

"So, Luna, where do you want to go?" Sora asked, a sea-salt popsicle stick dangling from his mouth. Sora couldn't help but remember his daydreams about having a family with Kairi. It felt much nicer than he thought.

"Bubble!" His 'daughter' pointed at a shop that sold a contraption that made giant bubbles. Sora's face brightened, "Oh, those, huh? Stay with Kairi, I'll get us one."

Sora plopped Luna down next to Kairi who held her hand. As Sora jogged over to purchase the item, Kairi secretly examined Luna who was now looking at her. She resembled her brother in so many ways. The same pale blue eyes, the same glowing skin, the ashen coloured hair... _How is someone so adorable and kind related to such an asshole?_

"Kairi, are you okay?" Luna asked with a pout, "Are you thinking about something?"

"It's big kid stuff, Luna." Kairi hid her sadness with a smile, "You wouldn't be able to understand yet."

Luna huffed and crossed her arms, "Really? I don't think it's very hard to understand. You're happier being mommy and daddy with Sora than Cloud."

_How did she...? Did I just get told by a four-year-old?_ "L-Luna..."

"Got it!" Sora scooped Luna up in his arms and placed her on his back with the giant bubble maker in his hands, "Now let's go make some bubbles!"

* * *

"Namine, is it fine if I put this canvas stand here?"

"That's perfect, Roxas. Thank you." As the ashen haired girl leaned in towards her boyfriend, his redheaded best friend cleared his throat.

"Have you two already forgotten about my presence?" He furrowed his unusual red brows. Roxas scowled, "We didn't _ask_ you to come. This is _our_ park date. In fact, I should charge you for cockblocking. Pay up, Axel."

"Roxas," Namine ran her fragile hand up Roxas' built chest; this sent shivers down his spine, "I don't mind Axel being here. If he's your best friend, then he should be of great importance to you, right? Besides, Larxene isn't here to keep him company. Let him stay." With a pout, Roxas kissed her then turned his head to Axel, "You better not disturb us."

"Disturb _what_?" Axel chuckled, "Kissing? That's it? It's _Namine_! It's not like you're gonna get any-" And with that, a canvas was chucked towards Axel's head, causing the poor pyro to go rolling down the grassy hill.

"Now where do you want to paint me, darling?" Roxas asked angelically, acting as if he hadn't done something so devilish.

Namine then made a square like shape with her fingers and looke through them, "Hmm... could you please lean against that tree over there? Oh, oh, a little more to the left- yeah! Oh, wait... a little more to the right and- _whoa_." Frightened, Roxas frantically began looking around the park in search for anything that might have scared his little Namine.

"Namine, baby, what's wr- _oh_." Then he saw it. It wasn't something frightening (thank goodness), but very shocking and sweet. On the grassy hill opposite to them in the park was little Luna Strife running after an extremely large, overshaped bubble that was almost twice her height. As it flew up into the air out of her reach, Sora hauled her up on his shoulders and allowed her to pop it with her tiny fingers. Then, out of the blue, Kairi came waltzing in and took Luna in her arms, spinning her around like a little princess. Sora then took Astrium in his arms and watched the boy gurgle in his arms. With children in both arms, the couple's eyes met then parted when they looked away to blush in embarassment.

"Aww," Namine cooed, "How adorable."

Roxas, feeling neglected and ignored, pouted in his girlfriend's direction, "Nami, I think you were on the verge of painting me."

"Oh, it's okay Roxie," She then took her scrapbook and began framing Sora and Kairi with her fingers, "I've got something new to capture. You can go hang out with Axel, don't worry." If his best friend hadn't returned, Roxas would've searched for a box of shame and hid in it until it was time to promote The Oathkeeper's CD.

"Well, well," Axel came walking back up the hill trying to play it cool, "It looks like Sora and Kairi are having fun playing mommy and daddy."

"That'll be you in a few months." Roxas reminded melancholicly. The best friends stood side by side, enjoying the fresh breeze than ran through their head. Axel thought of what Roxas had just said and pictured himself and Larxene in Sora and Kairi's position. It was the hardest image to picture- _Larxene_ as a _mother_- but nonetheless, it made him smile like an idiot knowing that he'd stand by her as they watched over their child.

It took a few seconds for Axel to register the pair of hands being waved in front of his face, "Axel, hello? Hello? I think I've lost him." Axel grabbed his wrists and demanded he stopped with a chuckle. Roxas wriggled his brows, "Ooh, so giddy. What's up with you? You look like you're in love, and it's funny, because I don't see Larxene around-"

"I _am_ in love, Roxas." Axel rolled his eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "She doesn't have to be right in front of me. She just has to be right here." He bumped a fist at the place his heart would be, "It just feels like I actually have one now. I _feel_ new things, you know? New things that make me feel like there's butterflies in my stomach and _augh_- makes me wanna throw up just thinking about it. I feel like a woman."

"Aww, my Axel's completely and totally in love!" Roxas took a handful of grass and threw it into the air like confetti, "So what's it gonna be big boy? How long will this one last?"

_Forever,_ "Roxas... I've been thinking about this for awhile, and... well, without hesitation (don't tell anyone)... I'm going to ask her to marry me."

**Amusement Park**

"Sora, you're forty-five minutes late," Kairi bit her lip as she swapped a glance at her watch, "Won't you get in trouble by Ventus?" Actually, the only reason Kairi was concerned was because she couldn't take the stares he was getting from his fangirls.

"Dear Kairi," As a roller coaster whizzed past them from above, Sora placed an arm around her shoulders while using his free hand to keep a safe grip on Luna's wrist, "My promotion tent is in the park anyway. Besides, who looks stronger? Me, or Ventus? Yeah, that's right. The guy with two more abs." Seeing as his mouth was full of cotton candy, his voice came out muffled. He then began to eat the pink cloud without laying hands on it.

With a smirk, Kairi took a bite out of the cloud. She really couldn't help it- being this close to him just felt so natural, "Yeah, but you've got Terra to worry about." Then she let out a sound between a shriek and a squeal when Sora spit out the cotton candy and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Mm," He said as he pulled away, "I don't know what tastes sweeter. You, or the cotton candy. I'm going to have to say you."

"Sora," Kairi mumbled with a blush, "There are kids here..." Luna giggled. Astrium was asleep in Kairi's arms. Sora wiped his nose for no apparent reason then slapped his knees, "So Luna, are there any more rides you want to go on?"

"Uh," She pursed her lips and spoke in her high-pitched voice, "Well-"

"Luna!" Came a womanly voice. When the couple found the bearer of the familiar voice, they froze in anger (Sora) and terror (obviously Kairi). It belonged to the celebrated girlfriend of Cloud Strife; Ms. Tifa Lockhart. And speaking of the devil himself, Cloud trailed closely behind her. The two could feel the air grow sinister.

"There you two are!" Trying to act motherly, Tifa placed her hands on her hips, "Don't you ever do that again, okay? We were about to call island security to search for you!"

"You're welcome." Sora said darkly as he took Astrium from Kairi and handed him over to Tifa. When placed in Tifa's arms, Astrium immediately started crying. Sora and Kairi tried their hardest to hide their laughter. Tifa, surprisingly, gave them a look of sympathy.

"Thank you," She aknowledged their efforts with a bow, "And Sora, I'm sorry about the incident at Hunger Royale. I hope you're safe now. And Kairi-" She didn't look her straight in the eye- in fact, she looked at the ground, "I'm just... sorry." Without further explanations, Tifa took Luna by the hand and left.

"Don't forget about my offer," Cloud reminded, "You have until tomorrow's dance practice for the Infractus Tango to make up your mind." And with that, he left. Kairi was left paralyzed with anger. When Sora pulled her into his arms, she began feling her limbs again.

"What was that about?" He mumbled into her hair. Catching sight of a ride that caught her attention, Kairi pulled on Sora's wrist and began leading him towards a ferris wheel, "I'll tell you when we get on. We have some things to talk about, Sora."

In less than a minute, the couple found themselves facing each other on the same cart. The sun was beginning to set; it was much like a scene taken from a cheesy movie.

"It feels tense in here," Sora admitted, "It's like you brought me here to talk about something I'd want to run away from. Only this time, I _can't_ run away. Is that why you took me he-"

"What are we?" Kairi asked as the ride began to move slowly. Sora was right- it was getting really hot. Even pulling on her cute scoop neck sweater didn't cool her off.

"Pardon?" As if he didn't understand what she meant.

Kairi repeated herself more sternly, "What _are_ we? What's our relationship? I mean... we hug, and kiss, and... well, are we dating, or-? What are we, Sora?" He was right. She brought him on a ferris wheel so that he couldn't escape. He was in the middle of every guy's nightmare- talking about _feelings_.

He hung his head in ill repute- he didn't even know the answer, "Whatever _you_ want us to be."

"Why is it always _my_ choice?"

"Because I want what's best for-"

"What do you think we are?"

"Kairi, I honestly don't know," He let out a raspy sigh, "The thing is that you _allow_ me to kiss you and do all these romantic things for you. It sort of gives me the image that, well, you _want_ me to. I don't hate it, believe me. I _love_ it, but making you happy without all these romantic favours is enough for me." He took her hand in his, "This... do you like this? Does it feel awkward? Do you want me to let go? If we keep this up- hugging, kissing- we'd have no choice but to increase our relationship level."

"You mean..." Kairi gulped, "We'd be... dating?"

_"He hurt me... he doesn't deserve to be remembered."_

_"What's the misunderstanding? You were dating me and you kissed another girl! What the hell is the misunderstanding?"_

_"Sorry, it was an accident."_ _Just like dating you, of all people_.

_"Why did you have to be on the island, Sora? ! WHY? WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? ! I WAS HAPPY WITH CLOUD! WHY? ! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO INTERFERE? ! I HATE YOU!"_

It hardly seemed possible now. But she couldn't deny that Sora's hand intertwined in hers did feel nice. Maybe it was just infatuation. She'd have to give it up. She trusted Sora, but in the end, just like Cloud, it would just blow up in her face.

"Sora, as much as I want to," Her heart ached, "As much as we _both_ want to, I... I can't." Slightly, she could see the expression on his face sadden. "I just... after everything that happened with Cloud, I just can't have a boyfriend again. It's way too fast and I really don't want to lead you on. If we go through with this now, I wouldn't be able to give you the love you deserve and I can't be your girlfriend knowing that I'm not giving you my all. Sora, I'm sorry. I'm not ready. You'll have to wait..." Sora could feel hot droplets of water fall on the face of his hand, "I'm sorry... you've been waiting for so long and... I... I can't even give you anything."

"Hey," He gripped her hand tighter and lifted her chin with his free hand, "You care about me. That's not just anything, that's _everything_. Maybe not to you, but to me it is. I don't mind waiting Kairi. Even as kids I told you that I'd wait forever. I'll stand by that, no matter what. That, I promise you." Though his words were reassuring and encouraging, the look on his face was melancholic. Kairi felt terrible as the tears continued to stream down her face. This was way too much emotion to be feeling for something so small and simple. Even Luna, a four-year-old girl, could understand it.

"I'm sor-"

"Stop apologizing," He pleaded angrily, "Honestly, you haven't even done anything wrong. Now stop crying, Kairi. I don't like seeing you sad. Unless its from happiness, I don't want to ever see these tears fall from your face, understand? You shed one tear and I'll assume that I'm a failure for making you sad." Seeing as she was still sobbing, he pulled her into a friendly hug, "I understand how hard this is for you. You have so much to deal with... I'm going to be there to help you, okay? I don't have to be your boyfriend to do that. I'll be like your best friend again, all right?"

"That's not it," She said shakily, "That's not it at all..."

_It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday! Everybody's looking forward to the weekend, weekend! Friday, Fri-_

"Wow, really? Now, Ventus? Really?" Sora ignored the call on his phone and focused on the situation at hand. "Kairi," He seized her by the shoulders and shook her, "Let's talk about this later. We'll have fun for now, okay? We'll do that typical chick flick thing when girls go home and eat buckets of ice cream while painting each other's nails and doing each other's hair."

Hearing her faint giggle was like seeing a rainbow after the fiercest of storms, "Let's ditch the ice cream and hair. I prefer pizza... and I could go for some Modern Warfare right now."

_Hah. I love her._ He rubbed the tears away from her eyes and widened his eyes, "Okay, but we're washing your face first. You've got eyeliner like... everywhere. You look like a racoon." She pouted. "A _cute_ racoon." The instant she smiled, the cart doors opened. Sora stepped out first, offering her a hand as she hopped out. It was a funny thing, really. When they walked in, they were -somewhat- a couple. When they walked out... well, not so much.

"Thank you for the lovely date, Ms. Kairi." Sora bowed.

"This isn't a date, Sora." She warned.

To tease her, he brought out his iPhone and began searching up the definition for 'date', "Date; a particular month, day, year... blah blah... to belong to a particlar period... blah blah blah... ah, here! Date; a get together between two people (usually male and female) who are mutually attracted to each other with a _possibility_ of romance blooming in the process. If I wasn't mistaken, this _is_ a get together and we _are_ somewhat attracted to each other. So yes Ms. Kairi, I believe that this is a date."

"Oh, sorry. I thought a date required someone of the male gender." Kairi stuck her tongue out at him.

"Haha, my friend is so funny." Sora then began to give her a noogie.

"SORA HIKARI." Boomed a voice across the park. It attracted the attention of a few bystanders. It was none other than Ventus Loryn with a bullhorn, "THE PROMOTION FINISHED HALF AN HOUR AGO! NOW I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU DECIDED _NOT_ TO GET LAID ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT OCASSION! SO IF YOU WANT TO STAY ALIVE I SUGGEST YOU GET YOUR-" He then noticed the presence of younger teens, "_BUTT_ BACK IN THE HOUSE AND START PRACTICING FOR OUR NEXT PERFORMANCE, MR. _LEAD SINGER_!"

To prevent further embarassment, Roxas, who just happened to skip by, tossed Sora the keys to his convertible with a wink, "It's parked behind the tent. I'll make sure we get there late." Sora grabbed Kairi's wrist and began to sprint southward. He suddenly came to an abrupt stop and turned around, "Roxie?" His brother curved his eyebrow.

"Thanks." _For everything._

* * *

"Wait, wait, so you _slapped_ him?" As Kairi performed a no-scope, 360 degree headshot, she nodded to Sora in response to his question. Sora laughed, "You are _amazing_! He totally deserved it, so you have _nothing_ to worry about! Seriously, why'd you even bother reconsidering? You should've kicked him in his non-existant balls!" With a laugh, Kairi spread herself along the couch in the living room with her legs overtop Sora's who sat on the edge of the couch. As planned, the two were the only ones occupying the living room while eating pizza, playing Modern Warfare and painting each other's nails.

Guess who had to do the painting?

"Kairi, which colour do you prefer? There's baby pink and lime green." Sora waved the small bottles in seperate hands. Kairi reached over and fed him a bite of her pizza before taking a huge chunk herself. As she chewed, she pointed at both of them.

"Four toes pink and one lime green. For the other foot, four toes lime green and one pink." She said with a full mouth. Sora looked at her abnormally then shrugged. She had asked him to do the same thing on her fingernails. Kairi then resumed her gaming while Sora got to work on her toes. He actually _wanted_ to try it. He wanted to discover why girls loved doing it so much, and regardless of his poor visual art skills, he was actually doing a really good job.

"Oh my gosh!" Kairi squealed and jumped off the couch, "I just threw a random throwing knife into the air and it _hit somebody_! I am _so pro_! Woo!"

From the second floor, they could hear Hayner yell something along the lines of "Noob!" before they heard the sound of a door shut. Kairi began prancing around the couch until Sora had stopped her, pulling her onto his lap.

"_Kairi_!" He whined, "Don't move! You're messing up the awesometastic job I did on your toenails!" After spending about five seconds in silence, the two burst out in laughter. Never had they thought that those words would escape Sora's mouth. When Kairi rolled of off him, took the controller from the coffee table and began playing again, Sora couldn't help but admire her. She was just... perfect.

Even though she had no make-up on her face, he still couldn't find the words to describe how beautiful she was. Even though she was dressed in a loose t-shirt and shorts and ate tons of pizza, she was still the sexiest girl he had ever seen. And even though she painted her nails with such girly colours, he aknowledged everything she could do with those painted fingernails. She could play an endless list of video games, rock out on the air guitar, intertwine her hand in his...

_Goodness, you just take my breath away._ It then occured to him that she was also admirably staring at him. Not quite the best thing to do when they had just agreed to be friends.

It was quiet, seeing as she paused the game, so Sora decided to break the awkward silence, "K-Kairi? M-may I ask why you're staring at me like that?"

"Hm? Oh," She shook her head as if she were snapping herself out of a trance, "Nothing, it's just... your eyes have the brightest smile I've ever seen." Butterflies found themselves fluttering in Sora's stomach, the compliment turning his face a bright red.

"Kairi... you shouldn't say things like that. You're embarassing me." He mumbled while covering his face.

Her expression remained earnest, "Sora, there's something I didn't get a chance to ask you on the ferris wheel." With a sigh, he removed his arm from his face. He knew their fun would end seeing that she wanted to talk about_ feelings_ again, "Fire away."

"Why do you do so much for me without anything in return?"

"My Maker I thought we went over this already-"

"No, Sora, not because I'm your friend. A friend doesn't break your heart and force you to wait forever. A friend's supposed to make you happy. Sora, you try so hard to make me happy and I can't seem to do the same for you. You keep telling me that I make you so happy but I don't even know how."

"Kairi, I don't really _try_ to make you happy. It just so happens that I do. If you get like... Riku to do the same things I do, it just wouldn't have the same effect, would it? It's the same with you. You don't have to _try_ to make me happy, you just do. It's natural."

"But _how_?" She asked impatiently.

"Kairi, you're you. That's what makes me happy. Just being you is more than enough. It's not the things you do that make me happy, but _you_. You're you. Don't ever ask me again why you make me happy, because you just do." _And that's also why I'm deeply in love with you._

**In the next chapter:**

_"Riku, Hayner, you guys need a makeover!"_

_"I think Axel's cheating on me."_

_"Oh my gosh... I completely forgot about my date with Ven!"_

_"I'd rather skip the formalities. I'm Ultimecia, your new interviewer."_

_"I'm so glad you could join me this evening, Kairi."_

_"Friends can be jealous."_

* * *

**...**

**A month and two weeks, huh? Aha. Ahaa. Ahahahahaha- OKAY I KNOW ITS NOT FUNNY. I've just been so busy, so please forgive me! I hope most of you are still aware that I'm alive o.o You see, I would've updated so much earlier and would've added so much more to this chapter (even if it already 14, 000 + words long xD) if my iTouch (which, by the way, has 800+ notes in it including the ones I have for my fanfics) hadn't got stolen T.T Yes, the 16GB of my life has been stolen from me O:**

**So much has happened in the last month and two weeks. I would inform you about all the important stuff but IT'S ALL IN MY ITOUCH. Augh. Grr. Now I can't remember sh**. I'm so so sorry for this late update, guys. But seriously. I've been so busy. Let me see what I can remember...**

**Okay, so I did this really intense test about two weeks ago, and if you don't pass it, you don't pass high school... I got on the badminton team (this was the reason my iTouch got stolen... rawr), I slapped my ex across the face (ahaha, this totally inspired the Cloud scene), celebrated my best friend's birthday with him, partied hard at this super fancy party filled with asian breakdancers and, of course, found the need to find the guy who invented school and kick him in the balls. **

**Yeah, that sums up about half the things I wanted to tell you guys about ): And I didn't spend too much time with the Hikari family because I knew you guys would want some SoKai fluff in here more x3 Do you know how many times I changed the title of this chapter? Ddfjhgjdfhbgs. I had to re-do so many things in here, but I really hoped you liked it :S! I especially liked that last scene :) It was actually inspired by my best friend. He was the one who told me that he loved me not for the things I did, but for being myself :D**

**Anyway, I'm really sorry again. I hope most of you are still reading because DAMN. I got 45 reviews for that last chapter. Holy. Freaking. Mother of Keyblades. I love you guys so much and I promise you that I won't EVER update this late again! I'm sorry if this chapter was terribly long and slightly confusing. I'm sorry for being a douche and making you wait T.T **

**Special Thanks to: **Pandamon, mUSIC4LiFE95, timoteii, 0Wishful-Thoughts0, Moon Princess016, Artism, Annie n.n, xSmielage, Slasher234, ventus87, Sookdeo, zestycrouton, TakeruItsumo, Fuline Lite, ChocoIsu, Kingdom Hearts Kid, Fangirl 101 XD, beckster411, Suzumiya Haruka, CupcakeLerman, ShadowSpooky, DuskSky, Rytex, Sergant YouDriPED, Sozic, ChuckleBunny, Taylorrr Strife, Tyjet Ansatsu, sunshinemeg82, Dreamstation369, Phenomenon45, EternalllySky, The Moon's Berserk, kingdommad, Poetry-In-The-Ending, xocherry, an1995616, Craxuan, One sky One dream One destiny, khfan forlife, DestinyKeyblader28, XIII-Jinx-XIII, inspirexx, Jared Someone, DragoNik

******Wow. Look at all those wonderful names. Thank you all SO MUCH for reviewing. You have no idea how much all of those meant to me. Normally I would reply, but since the word count is already past 15, 000, I believe that it's going to be too much. I promise to reply next time, okay? I really appreciate you taking your time to review (insert heart here) So I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, thank you for all your wonderful support, I'm sorry for any grammar errors (MY 'D' BUTTON IS BEING RETARDED) and stay tuned for the next chapter!**

******xoKyorii**


	24. It's All Very Romantic

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** . © (oh yeah, it's legit now ;D LOL)

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Ultimecia, Edea and Adel (Stage 1):** The three new members in charge of interviewing, filming and scheduling the residents of the Hikari Household. All age 19.

**Shiki Misaki (Stage 1):** The lead guitarist of 'The Noize' (the second band to be kicked out of Battle of The Bands) and the girlfriend of Sora's non-emotional blitzball teammate, Neku Sakuraba. Age 16.

**Cinque (Stage 1):** _Final Fantasy XIII Agito/ Type-0_. A member of the island's 'Class Zero' and the daughter of a famous jewelmaker. Age 17.

**Penelo (Stage 1):** The girlfriend of Vaan (one of the hosts of Battle of The Bands) and one of the island's most famous dance choreographers. Age 18.

**OTHER:**

**Class Zero:** A secret club that's mastered magic and/or weapon wielding as well as martial artists.

**A/N:** I don't own the song 'Super Bass' by Nicki Minaj :) *starts rapping, fails*

* * *

**. Chapter XXIV .**

_**. It's All Very Romantic .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"Friends aren't supposed to do this, are they?"_

"Good evening, viewers! I'll be your reporter for this evening, Shiki Misaki, and today on Teenage Wasteland we cover the topic of one of the hottest bands on the island; The Oathkeepers! And to help us with the rather touchy topic we'll be discussing, please welcome the stocker of the Hikari household (mind you that's stocker spelt S-T-O-C-K-E-R. This girl is perfectly normal, believe me!), Olette Lovet!"

_Tch, perfectly normal my epic gaming ass._

**-applause-**

"Unfortunately, since of the members of The Oathkeepers are in such high demand, none of them could join us this evening. But luckily for us, we have this beautiful girl here with us! Now with Olette constantly visiting the household of the band members, she can tell us all the juicy details!"

"I-I'm not sure if I know anything that you'd consider... _juicy_."

"Oh, pish posh! I'm sure some really_ interesting_ things go on in the infamous Hikari household. So, Olette, ever since it was announced that The Oathkeeper's made it into the top three, their popularity has really skyrocketed, don't you think?"

"Well, yes-"

"And _that's_ the kind of popularity that makes them prime targets for gossip and romance, right?"

"O-oh, so this is what this is abo-"

"Olette dear, there's no need to have that nervous look on your face! I'm sure the _attractive, talented_ members of the band wouldn't mind if you shared some things with us! Fangirls (and some fanboys) are _dying_ to know if anyone in the band is... available, if you know what I mean! A lot of rumors are getting spread around but none of us have really gotten to know the truth, you know? Plus I'm pretty sure Roxas Hikari and Axel Oryxine aren't really dating, haha."

**-laughter-**

"Oh, Shiki, it would displease me, and the fans (both genders inclusive) of this island to say that none of the members are currently single... ish."

**-oooh's and awwww's-**

"Ladies and gentlemen, did you hear that? Don't get your hopes up too high, hm hm! So Ms. Lovet, care to elaborate?"

"I-I don't think it's under my jurisdiction to be talking about their personal relationshi- oh, I'm so sorry, I seem to have received a text message. It's from Roxas. He's actually _begging_ me to elaborate on their personal relationships. 'The worlds need to know that, regardless of all the homosexual photos, there's no chance for AkuRoku' he says."

**-awwww's-**

"I believe that gives you permission to unfold the secrets of The Oathkeepers, Olette."

"W-Well, it seems you're right. Who would you like to know about first?"

"Sora, Sora! Start with Sora! Is it true that he and Roxas are having a, quote, 'twincest'?"

"Oh, definately not!"

**-awwwww-**

_There's something wrong with the people on this island,_ "Roxas and Sora are just very close siblings. You see, their parents are actually divorced and they haven't seen each other in awhile so they're doing whatever they can to make their time together worthwhile-"

"That's great, Olette, but who's making Sora unavailable? Fangirls everywhere must be sharpening their knives as we speak!"

"Sh-Shiki-!"

"I'm just joking, Olette. So, who's this lucky lady that's doing it with him like animals do on the dicovery channel? Reckon a guy that sexy can probably get whoever he wants!"

"..."

"Ha, sorry. A little PG13 there. Who's he dating nowadays?"

"W-Well, I'm not even sure if they're _dating_, but I, along with everyone in the household, believe that he's dating Kairi Lovelock again."

**-OOHHHHHH, AWWWWWW, WTFFFFFFF? !-**

"Oh, yes, I think I've heard some rumors about that. Yesterday he was caught babysitting Luna and Astrium Strife with her, correct? Some even caught them kissing numerous times! But I've also heard that on the eve of his 18th birthday, Sora was caught making out with her while leading her into the house? !"

- **AAAOWWWWW! RRRRRR!** -

"Oh my, please don't get the wrong impression, Shiki. Sora is actually _very_ respectful and serious when it comes to women- especially Kairi. He'll do whatever it takes to make her happy, safe and secure. He loves her more than anything else. I advise all fangirls out there to search for someone else, because seriously, Sora's got eyes only for Kairi. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they got married someday! (Kairi please don't kill me for saying this on television!)"

"Wow, that's some strong love. You seem sure about this, too, and you _are_ a very intelligent girl, Olette, so we'll take your word on that. So next we move onto Sora's twin brother, Roxas Aethon. Other than being accused of twincest and a sexual bromance with his best friend Axel, is it true that he's dating an agoraphobic girl named Nameeni Amori?"

"Namine Emori- yes."

**- OHHH, AWW, MOO -**

"Namine is a beautiful girl, Shiki. Much like his twin brother, Roxas loves her more than anything else. Oh goodness, sorry, I'm getting another text message. It's from Axel this time. 'He'll go gay for me one day, you'll see!' he claims."

**-laughter-**

"Back to my point; even though Namine is disagnosed with a low level of agoraphobia, Roxas loves her to no end. Other than Sora and Kairi, they make the most amazing couple. I think it's so sweet of Roxas to love her even if she's in such a condition. You know, originally, the beach house they're living in was only supposed to be for the two of them? Of course the other members just happened to intrude, but still, isn't it so sweet?"

"Olette, is that a blush on your cheeks that I see? Don't tell me _you're_ interested in Roxas, too? !"

**- OH SNAP -**

_Olette Lovet, you've one it again. Shattered my heart into a billion pieces._

"O-oh, no! NO! I would _never_ interfere with such a perfect relationship! I'm just getting all giddy because I just think they're so cute together! Roxas is sweet and my friend, that's all. I swear."

"All right, if you say so, hm hm! Third on our list the dark and mysterious Riku Somneri. Not many rumors going on about him, but I heard that he tried to run away from the island once?"

"Yes, he did. The reasons are too personal for me to reveal, though. I don't talk to Riku much, but Sora tells me about how nice he actually is. Lately he seems more open, you know? He actually doesn't look as dark as he did before. I think he's changed the most since I met him. I think I have a hunch about who he likes, but I'm not very sure. I think he'd kill me if I said anything else, so I'd appreciate it if we moved on... hehe..."

"All right, last but not least, we have the flirtatious Axel Oryxine! Always a jokester as seen on camera!"

(Picture on screen goes up of Axel running down the street naked towards Roxas' house on his birthday)

"But the island has heard that he's about to be a parent soon along with Larxene Cloryx of The Organization!"

**-OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGBBQ?-**

"He's not ashamed of it, Shiki. He_ is_ about to be a father soon, and, regardless of how flirtatious he may seem, he cares about Larxene very much. Next to Riku, he's also changed a lot. He's much more mature now. He's always pushing The Oathkeepers to do their best and win so that he can start a good life with his family."

"Wow, way to break out of the bad boy facade! Well, that's all the time we have for this segment! But before we leave... Olette, some boys out there are wondering... are _you_ single?

_..._

"O-oh, how flattering, haha. Well, I am, but I'm not really interested in dating right now. Right now my only concern is to have as much fun as I can while I'm on this vacation."

"Aww, Olette, hopefully you'll find someone you're interested in."

"Ha... ha, right. Thanks for having me on tonight, Shiki. I really enjoye the intervi-"

_**-click-**_

Groaning, Hayner Arundel spread himself across the couch, gorging himself with dill pickle flavoured chips and basking in the eerie silence. _This is a good way to die, right? With chips, in front of a plasma TV, cuddling with my PlayStation 3... yes... this is the best way to die..._

"Oh my goodness... Hayner, you turned off the TV. Are you okay?" Selphie placed a hand on his forehead to tease him while plopping down on him. He didn't mind Selphie being on his calfs seeing as she was so tiny and light. Since he didn't answer, Selphie immediately came to the conclusion that he was depressed about Olette. She was just good at these things. It was in her blood.

"Hayner, can I be honest with you?"

"Sure, what the hell... I _am_ your personal slave, anyway... and it's not like things can get any worse..."

"You look pathetic."

_Aaaand things just got worse._ In all honesty, Hayner did look more pathetic than usual. Instead of actually looking somewhat attractive with his blond hair gelled up, he left it shaggy and covering his brown eyes. A beanie hat wasn't there to save him from his excrutiatingly bad hair day. The clothes he wore looked as if they were two times too big even after putting it in the dryer so many times. The vibrant colours were even starting to wear off. It's like Hayner had them for years and they still managed to fit his scrawny body. It was the same for his jean capris, too.

"You look like a puppy tha- wait, sorry, that's a disgrace to puppies everywhere. You look like-"

"Selphie, I get it," He helped himself to another handful of pickled chips, "I'm poignant. It can't be helped."

"Poignant? Such a wide vocabulary you have."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Even if his hair was covering his eyes, Selphie could see his brows slightly rising, "Just because I'm a gaming geek, you think I have a low range of vocab? You think I only know leetspeak or something?"

"Hayner, you know I meant well. I'm just saying that you need a little bit of a fix up. You're a mess right now. Can you tell me what's wrong? Wait, no. You promised to be my slave. I _demand_ you to tell me what's wrong. And I _demand_ you tell me the truth, because I can tell it has something to do with Olette."

"Why the hell is it so easy for girls to get guys, but guys can't get girls? Seriously, it's so retar-"

"Just tell me what's wrong. You've been acting weird for the past week. Did she say something?"

"Well, she didn't say it directly to my face, but she still said it. She said that she likes Roxas. As in, like likes him."

Selphie began laughing maniacly, "Okay, that can't be it. She can't straight up tell you that she likes Roxas like that. I saw the interview; it was aired last night. Didn't you hear her say that she doesn't see Roxas that way? They're just friends, so calm your balls."

"Ha, so you admit that I have balls-"

"Don't change the topic, you dweeb. She obviously made it clear that Roxas is just a friend and that she doesn't want to interfere with his relationship with Namine."

"She's just saying that because she's on television, Selphie. Hello, duh, she's not gonna admit that she actually likes the guy if she's going to be aired publicly."

"We both know Olette, Hayner, and we both know that she's not one to lie. Even on live television. Now tell me... how exactly did she reveal these unreal feelings to you?"

After explaining to Selphie the whole story about the _Truth, Dare or Double Dare_ on the twin's 18th birthday, Selphie burst out laughing harder than ever before. The reaction wasn't helping the poor gamer at all. He felt stupider and stupider with each laugh.

"Hayner, you're so silly! Just because she thinks the guy is sweet, it doesn't mean that she has feelings for him! Hell, I think you're sweet for helping Olette have fun, and I'm not the least bit interested in dating you! ... No offense."

"None taken. I feel the same way about you, ha. So... what do I do now?"

"First of all, take a shower. You smell like pickles and... I don't even want to know what else. Next, I'm going to help you win her over. Trust me, that's going to take more work than you think. You have to get your ass back up and take this like a real man would! Look at you! You look like a slug! I've never seen someone look this depressed!"

After clearing his throat, Hayner secretly pointed at Riku who was acting very slug-like under the grand piano on the carpet. His chin slid on the cushioned surface, his butt in the air. When his chin moved forward, his butt slid back down. Then he moved forward again, his butt in the air. He repeated the same sequence over and over again. Sweatdropping, Hayner and Selphie looked towards where Riku averted his attention. Outside the window, Roxas, Xion and Axel were in the middle of playing (well, attempting to play) marco polo while Namine sketched their festivities from the sidelines. Even from far away it was easy to notice Namine's jealous fidgeting.

"Wow, this is so sad. You both need to get your game on." Daring to pick up the dark king himself, Selphie dislodged him onto the couch next to Hayner. Both young men looked like complete mongoloids. "How do you manage to call yourself men? You're being depressed about women and you're not doing anything about it!"

"How do you kn-" Riku was cut off by Hayner, "Girl intuition."

"You know, you're both very intelligent, kind and talented in your own ways. I don't see why you guys don't have faith in yourselves to get the girl you want. You have thousands at your feet, so why don't you think you can get the _one_ you want?"

"Because the one I want is interested in someone el-" Again, Riku was cut off. Only this time, it was by Selphie, "So you're just going to give up? Just like that? You're going to act like a slug all day?"

"I'm not giving up," Riku muttered, "I'm perfectly fine with the way things are. As long as I can make her happy, I'm- you know what? Why the hell am I even talking to you about this? I'm leaving before I turn into a sissy." Before the albino-haired boy could even lift a foot off the ground, Selphie had already pushed him back down onto the couch. Both boys marvelled at her strength and fixed their posture.

"Listen, I want to help both of you. I know it's enough for you that you're making your girls happy, but don't you want to make them even happier by taking the next step? If you don't do it soon, they'll find other people that make them happier. The thought isn't pleasant, is it? You want to show them that no one loves them more than you do! Understand?"

"I'm listening to nonsense." Riku scoffed.

"Fine, we'll see who's scoffing when Hayner wins over Olette." Selphie yanked Hayner by the arm and smirked. Riku felt intimidated. Somehow, some way, it looked like Selphie knew what she was doing. And Sora did tell him to try and trust those around him. There was no harm, was there? He was already beginning to lose Xion. And he didn't want to admit it out loud, but he was in desperate need for a new look. He needed to change- for the better.

_So then... gaining trust and getting back on track with Xion. It doesn't sound all that bad._ "C-count me in whatever the hell you're doing." Selphie giggled and gave him the 'I told you so' look.

When she grabbed both teens by the arm (although it was hard with Riku- he was actually quite muscular), Hayner gave her an unsure look, "Selph, may I ask why you're leading us out the door?"

"Riku, Hayner, you have spare munny from that photoshoot yesterday, don't you?" They nodded in fear. All at once they suddenly regretted their decision. "Perfect! Riku, Hayner, you guys need a makeover!"

**Olympus Cafe**

"Kairi, what do you want?"

"Sora, I can pay for myself, you know."

Uncovering himself by putting his menu down, the brunet smirked, "I wasn't offering to pay for you. I just wanted to know what you wanted to order." Kairi immediately shrouded her embarassed face with the Greek-themed menu. Sora laughed and pulled it back down, "I'm joking, Kairi. We both know I'll end up paying for both of us in the end."

"No," Kairi whined, "If you pay, you're going to make this seem like a date, which it isn't. WE'RE JUST TWO FRIENDS WHO ARE GRABBING A VERY LATE LUNCH TOGETHER."

Sora pressed his palms against the table and pushed his chair back, "Whoa, easy Kairi. No need to yell; I understand." Shaking her head, Kairi pointed at the paparazzi hiding behind the pillars. Sora's lips formed an 'O' shape before he began looking through the menu again. He started smiling like an idiot, and it wasn't because of all the good food available. Even though they were just friends, he absolutely _loved_ spending time with Kairi. For some odd reason, Ventus didn't forbid him from fun. In fact, he hadn't seen Ventus all day. Nonetheless, Sora had their whole day planned out. After eating, they were scheduled for dance practice at a certain building and... well, that was it. That was their whole day.

_As long as I get to spend time with Kairi, everything will be perfectly fun and fine._ Suddenly, two glasses of water were vigorously slammed down on the table, forcing Sora and Kairi to look up in shock.

Without looking up from her notepad, the waitress began to speak in a monotone voice, "Welcome to Olympus Cafe. I'll be your waitress for today. I won't bother telling you my name because you probably won't give a damn and forget it anyway, so-" She then decided to look at her customers, "Oh, what the hell are you two doing here?"

"L-Larxene." Sora put on a fake smile, "You look great! Which wonderful goddess are you supposed to be?"

"Aphrodite." She replied with gritted teeth.

_The goddess of beauty._ Sora and Kairi inwardly laughed. Larxene contradicted her title in every way. Larxene usually was beautiful, but now, her make-up was smeared (and running down her cheeks like black tears), her wig was on sideways, her golden crown was on the verge of falling off and her toga had make-up marks all over the place.

Scratching the back of his head, Sora said with a deep breath, "I'm just spitballing here, but is something wrong, Larxene?"

"None of your business, twit. Now what the hell do you guys want?"

"Hmm," Kairi pretended to ponder through the menu, "Oh! I'd like an order of _tell us what's wrong, Larxene_."

"There's no harm!" Sora reassured; then in an inaudible voice, "You already look like a mess anyway..."

"Well, you two do seem more promising than the idiots I live with at home, so... augh!" Larxene collapsed onto an empty chair on the table beside them, "I think Axel's cheating on me."

"Don't worry," Sora was about to place his hand on her shoulder but pulled back at the last minute just in case she decided to castrate him, "The thing about him and Roxas is just a joke!"

She slammed a fist down onto the table, "I know that! Damn, do I look stupid to you?" Before any of them could speak, Larxene put her index finger up, "Don't answer that."

_Damn, she's even scarier and moodier when she's pregnant._ Sora found himself backing away on his chair even more.

"What makes you think that he's cheating on you?" Kairi asked innocently, "We can all tell that he's matured. We all know that he cares about you a lot. He's doing everything he can to make sure The Oathkeeper's win-"

"_I know_!" Larxene snapped. In that instant, Kairi ran over to Sora and hid behind him. With a sigh, Larxene continued, "I'm doing whatever I can, too. I'm working three jobs, you know. That's what's pissing me off. The fact that I'm trying so hard and that idiot has the decency to cheat on me!"

"Don't you tr-trust him?" Sora pulled off another fake smile.

"I do," Then Larxene's eyes tightened, "But we know the kind of guy he can be. I saw him hanging out with this chick from Club Zero. I think her name is Cinque or something. She looks like Selphie, actually. Selphie with longass braided hair. They were both laughing and whatnot."

"Club Zero? Oh my gosh, their girls are so hot-" Kairi clasped a hand over Sora's mouth before he made things worse, "Ahahaha, what Sora means is that their fighting skills are hot! Right, Sora?" He gave her a thumbs up though struggling to get out of Kairi's grasp. Larxene just continued to frown and look off in the distance. She actually looked really sad. Not her usual pissed self, but sad.

"Listen," As typical girls did, Kairi placed her hand on Larxene's shoulder; she didn't seem to mind (in fact she looked thankful), "We'll look into this more. I'm very sure Axel loves you more than anything. So what if he's talking to some chick in Club Zero? She doesn't compare to you in the least bit! I'm sure Axel knows that, too. So don't worry Larxene. We got this."

Kairi and Sora could've sworn that it was the first time they saw Larxene actually smile. Not a smirk, but an actual smile! "Thanks."

* * *

The day finally came. She saw it coming, but she didn't think it would come so soon. It was finally Aqua Elendil's last day in the Hikari household. Not only Aqua, but Pence and Ventus inclusive. Roxas had told them that he had requested their departure.

"For the sake of Sora to stay, I had to do it. My father wouldn't have allowed him to stay otherwise." He said apologetically. It was understandable. With Aqua around, Sora's chances for survival were dwindling on a thread. So, without hesitation, Aqua began packing up her things in the editing room. At the same time, the footage her crew had captured was playing on her laptop. She laughed at certain moments because, well, they never got old.

_I've been blessed with one of the most popular households,_ Aqua then put on a sad smile, _But this is what I get for taking my dreams too far. This is for the best._ She then picked up a box of wires and whatnot and kicked the door open. She began loading up Ventus' car with equipment, as did Pence.

"Almost done?" Asked a hooded Roxas. Aqua almost didn't recognize him. He pointed at the rustling bushes by their house. Aqua could clearly see cameras and hands all over the place.

"I see. Well, yeah. We're done, actually."

Roxas shook her hand goodbye, "This is farewell, I guess."

Aqua pouted, "Roxas, please don't make this more dramatic than it needs to be. It's already hard as it is. But thank you... for everything." Roxas gave her a nervous smile. How was he supposed to react to something like that? He had just crushed the dreams of a human being!

"You're welcome. I just want you to know that even though you did put us through extensive drama (especially Sora and Kairi), it is such a shame to lose people of great talents. Although it may not seem like it, we're all going to miss you. If everyone was present I'm pretty sure they'd wish you goodbye."

"Hm hm, well, please give them my regards. I'm sorry for everything I've caused you. You have a wonderful family now. I've seen you grow so much. I'll be making a DVD version of the footage we got. It's_ really_ good. I'll send it to you when its finished, all right?"

"Will do, Aqua. See you around."

**Mall**

"Hayner, you've been in the change room for ten minutes! I know guys change _way_ faster than that!" Irritated, Selphie began kicking the mahogany door with the tip of her platform sandal. Something between a shriek and a groan was the response from the other side. As Selphie heard a knob turn, her heart skipped a beat. Riku remained on the velvet couch across from the change room, looking bored as ever.

When Hayner walked out, his eyes were fixated to the ground while Selphie examined him. She paced around him, pushing his hair to the side here and there.

"Hmm, you actually have a very good complexion. That crosses foundation off the list. So I think that leaves us with eyeliner. Very thin eyeliner, don't worry." As Selphie approached him with her make-up bag, Hayner started backing away, "Oh my goodness. I _know_ what eyeliner is. It's that pencil thing isn't it? ! Can you_ not_ put it on?"

"Stop complaining. You are my slave, so I demand you to stop acting like a girl."

"How can I when you're about to make me look like one?" Hayner mumbled.

"Beauty. Is. Pain. Do you know how long girls spend fixing themselves for guys?" At this, Hayner closed his eyes obediently and let Selphie draw on his eyes, "And don't worry, I'm not going to make you look like a fag. I'm _way_ better than those amateur make-up artists The Oathkeepers have for photoshoots." When she looked satisfied, she turned him to the mirror.

He shrieked in horror, "Oh _Maker_... I look like a korean boy band member gone wrong! Take it off, take it off!"

"No, you actually look _attractive_! Riku, don't you think so?" Selphie clapped like a spoiled hotel heiress.

"I feel like if I say something, it would make me homosexual." Riku lawfully admitted while placing his hood over his head.

When Hayner finally stopped acting like a worm on dry land, he stopped the check himself out in the mirror. He felt stifled by Selphie's work- in a good way. He took the time to accept his new appearance and actually... admire it. Who was the boy looking at him in the mirror? It definately wasn't a boy from a korean band- he was just exggerating. His hair somewhat looked the same, but it didn't stick out at random places anymore. It was much more spiky and drawn back at one point. The mild eyeliner (and he hated to admit this) actually did well to compliment the shape of his face and his brown eyes. As for his clothes; well, they no longer were the shlummy, oversized Modern Warfare shirts. Instead Selphie had forced him into a pair of skinny jeans, a white v-neck shirt and an olive green male cardigan. He still looked like himself somehow, just much more mature and enhanced.

"Wow." Was all he could muster.

"Yeah, I know," It was like Selphie couldn't believe it herself, "If I wasn't crushing on Irvine and we didn't have such a bad past, I might actually date you."

Hayner whistled, "Whoa there. Awkward. This package is for Olette, sorry."

"Now it's time for Riku." The fashionista girly girl then began rubbing her hands together mischievously.

"What do you have in mind?" Riku asked with a groan. Inside, he secretly wished that he was a turtle so that he could hide in his shell. With an evil glint in her eye, Selphie made a scissor like shape with her hands. The dark teen suddenly let his fear out on the outside by widening his aquamarine eyes. Even if his hair did cover eyes, those bright orbs were just too radiant to ignore.

That gesture meant only one thing. One _horrifying_ thing.

Haircut.

* * *

"Kairi, aren't you the least bit frightened?"

Sora saw no reason for Kairi _not_ to be scared. Even _he_ was getting shivers up his spine. On a luscious, tropical island, he never thought such a place could exist. It was like a thousand RPG's were aimed at the exact same area and were nuked a good five times at said area.

_Wow, I play waaay too many first person shooter games._ Sora made a mental note to keep his distance from Hayner.

"Um, no. Why? Should I be?" Kairi shrugged Sora's fear off like it was nothing. Sora found it incredible that she could go from being the girliest girl possible to being the bravest, tomboyish girl possible.

They were the only two walking on the world's dirtiest sidewalk filled with debris and whatnot. The houses around them were filled with graffiti and random profanities. It was a complete ghetto. Somewhere within that area was the dance building. The street was completely silent except for the sounds of the wind. When a dog suddenly barked, Sora jumped into Kairi's frail arms. Unlike the movies, both teens fell butt-first on the pavement.

"Ow! Sora, you're much heavier than you look, you know that?" Kairi began dusting off her clothes.

Sora flexed, "Psh, it's all muscle, you know that?"

"Haha, okay, I'd prefer it if you didn't brag about your six pack right now. I've seen it too many times."

"Ooh, kinky." Came a developing male voice behind them. When the ex-ex-couple (double ex intended) turned around, they came face to face with Hope (who, by the way, was licking his lips to tease them) and the stoic Lightning Farron.

"Hope, did you just make a_ sex joke_?" Sora twitched in disbelief, "Since when did you get dirty?"

"It may have something to do with him dating Vanille." Grumbled Lightning through gritted teeth.

Kairi squealed while Sora placed his arm around his cousin homosexually, "All right baby cousin! Gettin' it on with the ladies~! By the way, what are you even doing here? And _without_ your lady?"

"Uh," Embarassed, Hope began scratching the back of his head with a red face, "Lightning and I were actually partnered up for the Infractus Tango." Much like Larxene earlier, the double ex-couple tried their hardest to stifle their laughter. It was so obvious that even if Lightning wore flats, she would still be a whole five inches taller than him.

"Uh, whatever," Lightning looked as if she had just sucked on a lemon, "Let's just find this building and get this stupid practice thing over with."

When the four continued to walk down the dirty streets at a brisk pace, they came face to face with the largest building in the area. Well, to be more exact, the only building in the area. They could already hear the different genres of music blaring from the inside. Any louder and the brick walls might have crumbled to the ground.

"So the elite Solice Strife wants us to practice his tango _here_?" Sora scoffed. Hope simply told him to get over it and pushed him through the double doors.

When they walked inside, they were awestruck. Looks really were deceiving. On the outside, it looked like a run-down warehouse building type of thing, but on the inside, it looked like the most expensive, elite school that munny could buy. Majority of the structure was abstract, but very artsy. The floors (as well as the stairs) were a sand coloured marble whereas the walls were a mixture of grey stone and black, brown and plain white walls.

On the sides of the hallways, lockers were lined up with different designs on each one. Doors were used to separate the groups of lockers and to enter the crazy amount of dance studios. There were even some glass walls so that the people on the inside could be spectated. Through the first glass wall was a gym where dancers practiced their stunts with various types of equipment that could help them.

In the foyer, there were dancers showing off their moves all over the place, whether it was hip hop, breakdancing, etc. They all stopped at the sight of Sora, Hope and Kairi. Then all at once, everyone in the foyer (and even in the studios) came running towards them, screaming in their faces. Lightning spectated from the sidelines.

"Oh my goodness! Sora Hikari! It's such an honour to have you here! Your 'Wedding Dress' performance was simply flawless! Your passions and emotions were just so breathtaking! You have the cleanest locks _ever_!"

"Kairi, DAMN! When you performed onstage last week... oh my gosh, so _sexy_! So _perfect_! Your krumping was so... aauughh!"

"Hope, you are _adorable_! Even if you were booted off, your footwork was always on point!"

"Kairi, you're such an amazing dancer!"

"Sora, your freezes in your last performance were absolutely_ stunning_! Marry me!"

"SILENCE." Demanded a deep male voice that boomed across the entire foyer. It seemed to have come from the second floor. "Disperse."

At the young man's command, all the dancers scurried away and went back into their crews. Leaning on the glass fence by the staircase of the second floor was Cloud Strife with his arms crossed. Only he, other than the founder himself, had such power over the teens on the island. Even if he did look epic, Sora, Kairi, Hope and Lightning were the only ones there who knew his true nature. Did he really think that by getting their fans to back off - for what, a minute at max?- that they would forgive him? Tough luck. They showed no signs of appreciation as they glared at him.

When the building fell silent, Cloud just nodded at the four by the doorway then turned his back to walk in another direction.

**Hikari Household**

"We're home!" Selphie chirped the instant she swung open the door. The first to greet them was Axel who was walking down the stairs while chugging on a glass of milk. He decided to go for more healthy alternatives since he was now an island celebrity.

"Hey, Selphie, welco-" He implolitely spit out his drink at the sight of Hayner and Riku, "O-oh my goodness, what the hell did you do to them? It's terrible!"

"Really?" Hayner began pulling on the hem of his button down cardigan, "I actually thought it looked pretty nice."

"No, it's terrible! So very terrible! Selphie, how could you do this to me?" He began whining on his knees, "They're hotter than _me_!"

"What's Axel whining abo-" As Roxas emerged from the hall leading to the kitchen, he dropped the batch of cookies he was baking. When Namine heard the sudden clang, she came running in, too. Selphie placed her hands on her hips and put on a proud smile. Their reaction was going exactly as she predicted.

"Wow, Riku. You look_ really_ nice! You too, Hayner!" When Namine said this, Roxas gave her a jealous pout. She poked his nose and giggled, "But no one's cuter than you, okay?"

"I can't even look at them anymore!" Axel then started having a tantrum in the middle of the entrance floor, "I'm supposed to be the sexy one in the band! ME! MEMEMEMEMEME!"

Roxas then ran his hand through Riku's silky hair, "Oh my gosh... it's so lush but it's so sharp at the ends! I didn't think that was even possible!"

Even if Riku looked different, his personality still remained somewhat the same. He slapped Roxas' hand away with his lips shaped like an 'S', "Personal space." Roxas took a step back and apologized.

With Riku, Selphie made minimal changes, but those changes made such a big difference. For his hair, it didn't look entirely different. In fact, the length didn't even change. Maybe just an inch _at max_. It just looked more styled than usual. Instead of being the plain long hair that it was once, it became more layered and sharp at the ends. His bangs were cut slightly shorter the same way so that his exuberant eyes could stand out. His face looked almost... at peace. No make-up, no scars, no nothing. Flawless. It was like he was carved by angels.

An instead of the gothic style of clothing he usually had, Selphie forced him into a more casual and simple look. Since Riku was perfectly slim and fit, pretty much anything (even if it was plain) would look good on him. With that in mind, he was dressed in a white v-neck layer shirt, the layer being a long sleeved navy blue and black striped top. It hid the scars on his arm _and_ exposed how fit he was through the muscles on his neck. As for his pants, they were just plain dark jeans that fit him perfectly. Simple, but stunning.

The room went silent when Xion came walking out of the kitchen. She locked eyes with Riku but widened her own. She even felt some heat rise up to her cheeks.

"Well?" Riku choked out while balling his fists. He wasn't going to lie; he had never felt more nervous in his life. Did Xion like it? Was the change good? Was it good enough for her? ... Did it beat the Hikari twins?

Unfortunately, just as Xion was about to say something, the doorbell rang. Hayner took the liberty of opening it just in case it was Olette. To his dismay, it wasn't. It wasn't even close. In front of him were three unknown people. Three unknown _scary_ looking people. The one in the middle scared everyone the most when they barged right in without permission. The woman in the center was wearing the oddest make-up they had ever seen and had so much cleavage that it wasn't even funny anymore. Her legs were so clearly exposed and so were the weird tattoos she had on them. She even had a hat with- what was _that_? Horns?

The other two looked similar to her, except the other girl looked the tiniest bit more decent and the male just looked... well, there was nothing really nice to say. Their appearance was the spitting image of their personality; horrible and terrifying.

When Roxas gave them a confused look, the lady (most likely the leader) right away assumed that he was going to ask them who they were, so she answered, "I'd rather skip the formalities. I'm Ultimecia, your new interviewer."

"_What_?" Selphie snapped, "Oh my goodness, I'd rather have Aqua back."

"That fool? Proposterous." Ultimecia merely laughed (and it was an evil one at that), "The footage she got was complete garbage. It didn't make people scream at all. It lacked suspense and fear."

"This is a joke, right?" Axel asked hopefully.

"Well, even if she did go through drastic measures, at least she got drama, honesty and humour." Hayner pointed out, "She wanted to make people smile, not cry for their lives. We're teenagers living in a peaceful (well, sorta) beach house together! Do you seriously expect some scary things to happen?" Ultimecia cringed and went over to the man on her right with the camera and whispered, "Adel, get the fake blood."

Even Riku felt the chills running up his spine.

* * *

_"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8- and turn your head to your right... beautiful! 5, 6, 7, 8- to the left! Perfect!"_

"If this were a cheesy romance movie, this would be the part when you confess to me that you can't dance and end up stepping on my feet," Kairi said as she and Sora swayed back and forth, "But with you being you, you always have to change things up. Tch, I hate that you can do everything."

The brunet let out a chuckle as he dipped Kairi and held her perfectly creamy leg in place as she kicked it upward, "If you're going to get pissed at my mad dancing skills, blame my mom. She taught me and Roxas just in case one of us got a really hot girlfriend that happens to get turned on when a guy knows how to ballroom dance. My part has already been fulfilled, seeing as you're _so_ turned on right now." When Sora brought them upright, Kairi lightly smacked him across the cheek.

After the not-so considerate encounter with Cloud, the four calmy walked (more like ran frantically) towards the elevator onto the highest floor where they met up with the remaining members of the Infractus Tango. Every floor had a different theme, and just as Sora expected, Solice had given them the room filled with chandeliers and a ceiling painted by angels.

"Look at them." From the other corner of the dance floor, Tidus (paired with Yuna) envied them, "They're hitting on each other while doing the dance flawlessly! We can't even get the steps right!" To stop his whining, Yuna stomped on his foot.

After being taught the routine by the kind instructor named Penelo, all the couples now just had to practice the steps with the music constantly playing in the background. To avoid complications, they saved the formations for the following day. Although, Sora and Kairi seemed to be progressing faster than everyone else. This caused some of the couples (much like Tidus) to either envy them or stare in awe. They complimented each others movements so perfectly.

When Sora danced with Kairi, it was like their bodies were made for each other. When he brought them together, it was just like a puzzle piece. When they danced, it was like there was nobody else. Sora only saw his beautiful Kairi. He only saw her graceful face, which, by the way, didn't look too graceful at the moment.

"What's wrong?" The answer smacked him right in the face. Literally.

"Sorry about that." Mumbled an embarassed Cloud (yes, he actually showed emotion this time), "I lost balance." To prevent any problems, Sora just rolled his eyes in response and led Kairi to the corner opposite from her ex.

"If you even do so much as _purse your lips_, I'll have no choice but to smack you in the head." Sora threatened.

"You know, its ironic that the song we're planned to dance to is about a girl singing about a guy that cheated on her." Kairi kept her gaze to the ground.

Sora groaned at her depressing metaphor, "He's not even worth it, Kai. Don't look at him, don't think about him, don't associate yourself with him in any way. If he ever does anything to you, you know well that I will kick his-"

"-ass! Did you know that Yuna and I were in the same class? It's how we met actually! Pretty romantic story if you ask me. So it was a sunny day on Destiny Islands..." As Tidus continued his love story, Sora and Kairi looked at each other for a brief five seconds before chuckling at the same time.

"Well that was rather convenient." Kairi giggled as she tightened her grip on Sora's neck. He used his hands to remove them as he spun her around so that her back was to his chest. Sora then took her right arm, brought it up and slowly ran his hand along it until their hands intertwined. Kairi could have sworn she a hundred feet off the ground, but before she could take off, her heavy heart weighed her own.

"Friends aren't supposed to do this, are they?" Kairi whispered. Sora's lips were practically on her cheek when he mumbled an apology. The chemistry between them was much too strong for both of them to ignore. Thankfully, before Sora lost the will he had _not_ to kiss Kairi, Penelo ended the class and forced every pair off each other before things got too hot and heavy (exhibit A: Tidus and Yuna making out in the corner).

"W-we should go." Kairi stammered after jerking away from Sora. With a redenned face, the brunet agreed, "Yeah, u-um... I actually need to talk to Hope about my parents' visit for awhile, so... I'll meet you back at the house tonight, okay? I believe Solice has provided all of us with transportation home- limos, no doubt. Roxas and Namine can go home with you. "

The two looked at the blond couple giggling by the doorway. They seemed talking about how amazing their one-year anniversary would be, which was, well, tomorrow. The same day as the anniversary of Kingdom Hearts Resort. Talk about perfect timing.

"Roxas!" His brother called, "Can Kairi tag along with you and Nami?"

"Sure, sure, of course!" He responded while slinging his girlfriend across his shoulders. Kairi sweatdropped, "Sure, have me tag along with the lovestruck couple. Third wheel much."

Sora chuckled, "Not to be rude, but... do you really think _Namine_ will let Roxas try anything?"

Kairi took the point faster than expected, "Point taken. I'll see you later then, Sora." The double ex-couple leaned into each other, expecting a kiss until they both realized what they were doing. Curse their fatal attraction towards each other!

Embarassed, they gave each other the world's shortest hug and parted ways. In a dramatic fashion, Kairi walked towards the transparent elevator, looked at Sora thorugh the glass doors and kept her gaze on him until he was out of sight as the elevator went down. He too, did the same. When she was gone, he decided it was time to cockblock his, quote, "older sister_'_s" moment with Hope.

x

"Oh, oh, she's coming. Shh, shh! Everybody shut up!"

"She's alone? Haha, Sora probably realized that she was just using him to get over Cloud and left her."

"What a slut! She doesn't deserve Sora!"

"I heard that she's the mayor's daughter on Destiny Islands. She's just another snobby rich kid that thinks she can get whoever she wants. There's nothing special about her."

"What does he even see in her?"

"Shh, shh, the doors are opening!"

_Ding!_

As the transparent doors slid open, Kairi was greeted with a very awkward silence. It was definitely not as welcoming as before. In fact, she was surrounded by completely different people. The dancers had already left the building and left her with reporters and typical gossip girls. The air grew sinister. She gulped in terror- what rumors were they spreading now?

Unexpectedly, the crowd made way for her and created a path towards the entrance. Kairi began to walk at a brisk pace- the faster she avoided the awkwardness, the better. But along the way, she could hear people whispering very vulgar things about her. But she, being the best friend of Selphie, learned how to tolerate all the trash talk.

"Augh, look at her, acting like she hasn't done anything wrong. It's disgusting."

"I heard she slapped Cloud in the face, dated Sora and broke up with him all in the same day! What a wiatch!"

_Let it go, Kairi. Let it go. They don't know anything about you. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. They're just some no life losers who have nothing better to talk about._

"Ms. Lovelock, is it true that you're using Sora Hikari to get over your relationship with Cloud?" A reporter asked, the mic right up in her face.

"What?" _Where the hell do people get these rumors?_ "No! Of course not! Now can you just leave me alone? Sorry, but I really don't think this is any of your business." Kairi was on the verge of sprinting. How did all the other members of the tango (especially Roxas) pass these people?

"She's totally using him. She knows that he loves her and is just taking advantage of that."

"I know! She doesn't know what Sora's capable of."

"She knows nothing about his feelings! She doesn't care about him! She's just selfish!"

Kairi's fist clenched. Under normal circumstances (such as 30 seconds ago), she wouldn't care about what people thought of her, but since it had to do with Sora, she was obliged to care. _You don't think... you don't think I know Sora? I don't know how he feels? He's half my heart. You think I don't care? I care about him more than you bitches know. _

The entrance grew blurrier with each step. She had to go home and think this over. How was she going to fix things? How could she show the island hat she wasn't a slut or using Sora like those girls claimed she was? Sora was worth much more than that! She was getting quite the reputation when all she wanted was a peaceful vacation. _Make it to the door, make it to the door..._

When the cool night air hit her, so did freedom. She felt so strangled by the young women in there! She could hardly breathe! How could they possibly think that she didn't care about Sora? Everything she did was for Sora! Sure, she did date him for about a day and broke up with him a few hours later, but that was because she didn't want their relationship to be a lie. She didn't want to hurt him.

See? She cares.

_But... it was only because I wasn't ready..._ Kairi bit her lip, _Maybe I am being selfish..._

"Ms. Lovelock?" Called a young man to her left. Judging by his uniform, he was one of the limo drivers. She nodded to affirm that she was listening to him. "Roxas Hikari-Aethon and Namine Emori are on limo 4."

"Oh, thank you." With another nod of appreciation, she began looking for the limo with the number 4 engraved on it. As she did so, she glanced back at the driver who offered her assistance. He looked kind of familiar. She had definitely seen him before. He looked like one of the waiters that served her dinner with Cloud's family.

What a joy _that_ was.

When Kairi's eyes landed upon a stainless steel_ 4_ on the door of a limo, she opened it and got in without hesitation, expecting to see Namine and Roxas on the seat across from her making kissy faces at each other. They weren't there. Before she could place her hand on the handle of the door again, it automatically locked. She tried the other door- no luck. She was trapped inside and the car was already moving.

Her heart began to beat at a quicker pace when the window to the driver rolled down. The young man in control of the steering wheel with fiery red hair like Axel's turned to face her with a smirk. She recognized him instantly. His name was Reno. He was one of Cloud's butlers. She easily remembered him because he was the messiest (but nonetheless, good-looking) butler she had ever seen.

Whatever was going to happen, it would have something to do with Cloud.

"The look on your face tells me that you remember me." He then tossed her a ruffly strapless dress with an oversized black ribbon across the waist. She stared daggers at the dress. It was a Strife heirloom. The same one she and Tifa had to wear.

"Let me out." She demanded. Reno waved his finger, "No can do. Now get that dress on. The windows are tinted. I promise I won't look."

As he rolled the window back up, Kairi gripped the dress. Then an idea struck her. _Cellphone... cellphone..._ Reaching deep into her pockets, she finally pulled it out and immediately started dialing Sora's number. She had no signal. From the speakers, she could hear Reno laughing at her, "Nice try!"

Grumbling, she chucked her phone to the side and began to change. The only way she was going to get out of the car was if she followed orders. Then maybe, just maybe, someone (preferably Sora) could save her. Her friends always found a way to find her. Maybe Hayner could use that fancy iTouch thingy majig of his and track her. Anything. Just anything. As long as someone found her.

The car came to a stop in about ten minutes. Luckily Kairi was finished changing by then. When Reno opened the door, she immediately tried to scurry away, but was held down by two other body guards. She was dragged into a rather fancy looking building and into the elevator where she continued to struggle against the guards. Judging by the stainless steel doors and marble floor, the place was no doubt classy. When they reached the highest floor, Kairi was greeted with the delicious scent of Japanese food.

Inside was a restaurant, but the odd thing was that it had no roof. There was a rock fountain, a bridge to reach the reception desk, lanterns and even real cherry blossom trees. Teenagers everywhere were laughing and enjoying their food. If Kairi weren't there on such horrible terms, she would've actually loved the place.

"Kairi Lovelock." Reno said to the woman at the reception desk. With a nod, she led Kairi and the guards towards the largest booth in the back, covered with curtains that had some sort of kanji written on it. The instant she was tossed inside, she was greeted by the most unbelievable person that ever lived. And it was just him, too. No Tifa.

"I'm so glad you could join me this evening, Kairi."

* * *

_Ding dong!_

"I got it, I got it!" A bloody Hayner desperately answered the door on his knees and came face to face with Roxas and Namine. Roxas jumped and immediately shielded his girlfriend's eyes. If she saw the sight before him, she would surely have a panic attack.

"Hayner, what the _hell_ happened to you? Y-you're bleeding all over the place! D-did someone call the cops? !"

"No need..." Came a raspy, exhausted voice from the corner. Axel came crawling towards the door soaked in blood as well. Roxas covered his mouth to prevent him from vomiting. "It's fake." Axel clarified. Roxas sighed in relief but still kept his hand over Namine's innocent eyes.

"May I ask why you're wearing blood?" The blond shivered, "It's disturbing."

"You have no idea." Hayner twitched, "Some new interviewer and her crew came in to replace Aqua, and they thought we needed more of a _horror_ theme. So you know what she's doing? She's making the place look like a Lady Gaga studio but ten times weirder! There are fake _hearts_ in the freaking rice cooker! Do you have any idea how disgusting that is? I'm a _guy_, and I'm freaking out more than Selphie! I actually looked hot earlier, and now look what she did to me! Even Riku and Terra are scared! _Riku_ and_ Terra_!"

"I know she almost got Sora killed, but we have to get Aqua, Pence and Ventus back!" Axel pleaded, "Look at me! I _love_ red! I'm starting to _hate_ it!"

"You don't understand, Roxas! They were creepy when you left, but now they're just... they're just... I don't even know how to describe it!" Roxas could pratically feel the intensity coming from Hayner and it wasn't just because he could literaly feel the spit on his face.

"Okay, okay, both of you just calm down. We _cannot_ get Aqua back, understand? We can, on the other hand, request another interviewer. I'm sure there's lots of nice interviewers out there. I'll ask Zexion to do some research for us, all right? As for now, don't tell Ultimecia that we're firing her. That fake blood that you're covered in might become real if you say one word to her. Now go wash up and tell her that she's not supposed to be filming this late." When the two dispersed, Roxas returned Namine's ability to see.

"What's going on?" Namine asked. Roxas ran a hand through his hair, "Trouble." Before he shut the door behind him, someone held it open with their foot. Judging by the high heels, it was a girl. Inside came a nervous looking Aqua. No Pence. No Ventus.

"Aqua?" Roxas, with a hand still in his hair, began to rub it, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Ventus?"

"Huh? No. I'm sorry, I seemed to have left my schedule book here. Can I get it please?" She asked kindly, "I promise I'll leave for good after that."

"Sure, sure." Roxas then warned her, "Oh, you might see some disturbing things when you walk into the living room. Just saying. I'm telling you in advance that its fake, okay?" Aqua looked at him as if he were crazy but nonetheless continued into the living room. When Roxas shut the door again, he could hear footsteps approaching from the porch accompanied with singing.

"Yes I did, yes I did, somebody please tell him who the F I is! I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up, back coupes up, and chuck the deuce up! Boy you got my heartbeat runnin' away! Beating like a drum and it's coming your way! Can't you hear that boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass! He got that super bass- oh, Roxas. Thanks." Sora walked into the house whilst unplugging his earphones, "Good to know you and Namine got home safely. Where's Kairi?"

Roxas' heart stopped, "What? She's not here. Our driver told us that Kairi went for a walk because she was looking a little down."

"Impossible. Hope and I saw her walk into a limo from the window earlier." Sora already began spinning his motorcycle keys around his finger, "We have to try and find her. Ask anyone if they have the slightest idea where she is then give me a call, all right?"

"Roxas, Roxas!" Axel came jogging back with less blood apparent on his face, "Larxene just texted me from work. Did you know that Kairi's on a date with Cloud? Seriously, to think we warned the girl-" The pyromaniac was silenced by Sora's hand to his mouth, "Track the text. Now."

"O-Oishi restaurant. 10 minutes east. Floor 25." Sora removed his hand from the older man's mouth, took his helmet from the closet by the door and ran to the triple garage driveway.

"Great. More trouble." Roxas sighed. Aqua came walking out the door, thanking Roxas in the process.

"Oh, by the way, Roxas," Aqua turned back to look at him, "Why were you expecting me to be with Ventus earlier?"

"Don't you two have a date today? Or was that another day? I could've sworn it was today. Ventus wouldn't shut up about it, haha. He's been looking forward to it for the longest time. He even took the liberty of taking care of our schedule so that you wouldn't forget about your date, haha. Aqua? You look really spacious right now. Are you okay?"

"Oh my gosh," Aqua began pulling the ends of her hair, "I was so focused on packing and filming that I completely forgot about my date with Ven! I... I gotta go!"

Roxas groaned, "Perfect. Even more trouble."

x

"What do you want from me, Cloud?" Asked a very irritated Kairi.

"You look very pretty." Was his usual emotionless response.

"_Oh_ cut the crap. Why am I here? And where's the waitress? We haven't been offered any services for twenty minutes now."

"Impatient, are we?" Cloud interlaced his hands together and rested his elbows on the table, "This place actually has really good service. It just so happens that I asked that we were given some privacy for a little bit. Why, are you hungry? I'm paying for every expense." Kairi's grumbling stomach was a good enough answer. Cloud then instructed Reno to call a waiter, "Hmhm, all right then. I hope you like Japanese food."

"Cloud, I'm half Japanese." Kairi frowned, "Or were you too focused on thinking about Tifa when we were dating to remember?"

"Kairi, I obviously can't change your mind about that. I can't make you forgive me. I can't even forgive myself. But I can make it up to you. Other than the dinner, what do you want? Is there something you want to fix? I can have it done."

_"She's totally using him. She knows that he loves her and is just taking advantage of that."_

_"I know! She doesn't know what Sora's capable of."_

_"She knows nothing about his feelings! She doesn't care about him! She's just selfish!"_

"W-Well..." Before Kairi could finish, one of the curtains covering their booth were split apart, revealing their waiter.

"Why hello. My name is Sora Hikari. I'll be your waiter for this evening." Kairi's heart fluttered. He grabbed a notepad from his folded apron and clicked his pen. Even though Sora had never waited a table in his life, he looked pretty professional and looked like he knew what he was doing. He even had the white button up shirt and everything. Sora really did come and save her.

Kairi's eyes widened in disbelief, "Sora, how did you-" He opened the other half of the curtains to reveal Larxene with her hands on her hips. She too was dressed as a waitress. She was giving Cloud her infamous bitch stare. _So this is one of her jobs..._

"So, can I get any of you two a drink for starters? Maybe the young man here would like to start off with a bitchslap to the face." When Kairi heard Sora's knuckles crack, she grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him elsewhere after excusing herself from Cloud. Somehow, they had ended up at the bridge surrouned by cherry blossom trees with falling petals. It was a scene taken straight out of a drama.

"We're leaving." Sora commanded while untying his tie.

Kairi stopped him, "I can't. I know it may seem stupid, but I need closure and Cloud and I actually have some matters to discuss."

Sora seized her by the shoulders, "I can't just stand by and watch you get hurt."

"Sora, don't be jealous. You can't be jealous that I'm with another guy. We're friends." She said melanholicly.

"Friends can be jealous." He pulled her straight into his chest and stroked her hair, "But you're much more than a friend to me. I can't be just friends, Kairi. You're too special to me to be a friend. I can't stand to see you near that idiot. If you get hurt, I'll be responsible for not saving you."

_"She knows nothing about his feelings! She doesn't care about him! She's just selfish!"_

"N-no." Kairi held onto him, _I know exactly how he feels..._

He questioned her, "No?"

"It's nothing." She nervously pulled away from him, "Sora, let me talk to him, please. I know what I have to do. I won't get hurt, I promise. You don't have to worry." He didn't look entirely convinced, but he eventually let her go, "Fine. Shall I take you home afterwards?"

_And start more rumors? It's bad enough that I'm already getting publicity with Cloud..._ "No, I'm sorry. I can't. You'll understand someday, Sora. Someday, I promise. I'll have Cloud call a car for me."

"Well then... be careful." Was all he said before returning to his waiter persona. He began to walk away, but Kairi felt like there was something missing. There was much more to be said.

"Sora!" She called. He turned. He looked so flawless and handsome with the petals falling all around him. She gulped, "Y-you're... a really good friend."

_I can't be just friends, either. Do you remember when you told me that you wanted to be worthy of me in the Leadenstrike race? You were wrong. It's me who doesn't deserve you. I promise I'll be ready and deserving of you soon. I won't keep you waiting, I promise._

* * *

"Is that really all you request?" Cloud asked before he popped a dynamite roll into his mouth with his chopsticks. Kairi, although she was drinking her miso soup, nodded from behind her bowl. "I can do much more than that, if you'd like."

After wiping her mouth, Kairi accepted his offer, "I'll tell you if anything else comes up. But other than that one request, there is nothing else I want."

"You know, I can just _tell_ them to stop. Any word that comes out of my family's mouth is the law on this island."

Kairi pursed her lips, "You could do that, but that won't change their minds. They'll just keep their unecessary profanities in their head."

"You make a good point, Kairi Lovelock. Your request shall be granted, that is, if you are capable of doing it. You are aware that Battle of The Bands has been postponed to Sunday due to the absence of many members that have been selected for the Infractus Tango?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll be ready by then."

"Well then Kairi, we have a deal."

x

_I'm two hours late... th-that's not so bad is it? If Ventus waited a week like Roxas claimed, then two hours shouldn't be a big deal, right? Haha... haahaa... it's okay Aqua, you're almost there_. Aqua recalled Ventus talking to her about a drive-in theatre once, but she was too focused on work to actually listen to what he was saying. She quickly assumed while getting ready that Ventus chose their date destination to be at the island's drive-in theatre.

When she pulled in, she found it peculiar that no one was there. On a Friday night, no teenager wanted to watch the latest movies at a drive-in theatre? Something was wrong. _No, nothing's wrong..._ Aqua placed a hand over her heart, _Ventus booked the whole theatre just for us... speaking of Ventus..._

"Ven? Ven? Ventus, where are you?" Aqua called. She received no response. She walked into the theatre more, and when she laid eyes on the screen, she was awestruck. Projected onto the gigantic screen was footage of Aqua, from a child to how she was now. Ventus was even in it, too, but he was usually the cameraman. He had put all ther golden moments into one, and she had missed watching it with him.

Her sights (although blurry from the tears forming in her eyes) turned to the trash can to her right, where she found a bouquet of roses (her favourite flower) at the top with a note taped onto it. Her eyes widened at the content.

_"What comes first, Aqua? Work... or me? Remember Ventus? Your best friend?"_

_**I guess its work. - Ven**_

**In the next chapter:**

_"Happy anniversary, baby."_

_"You're proposing? ! Oh my gosh, we're totally gonna make this like the Royal Wedding! No, no, BETTER!"_

___"I don't think I'd ever forgive myself if I ever left you, Xion."_

_"Roxas, you just gave the other half of the paopu fruit to Axel."_

_"NANTS INGONYAMA BAGITHI BABA!"_

_"Don't move, don't worry about anything. I'll make the pain go away. I'll take care of you." _

* * *

**For the record, I was earlier by a day than last time! D: And I promise you, the next chapter is going to blow your freaking mind. I am so sorry guys. I thought I could update earlier, but my schedule ended up busier than I thought. With school and sports and parties and riding on carts in the middle of a parking lot, I just wasn't able balance out the time I had for writing S: Do you know how many parties I went to this week? A total of five. Five parties. I'm such an animal xP But let's go to the main reason as to why I updated late. Two words.**

**White. iPhone.**

**Sexiest words ever combined. Remember how my phone got stolen last year then my iTouch got stolen? I ended up getting an iPhone instead :D Two in one. The white one, too. WOO SEXY MAMA. I loooove it ;) Now I should be up to date with my ideas :D. And the other reason is obviously school -_- ''**

**But school is coming to an end :) I'm at the last month now, which means its about to get really busy. The next update MIGHT be late, but after that, I AM FREE. That means updates like. Every week. (maybe even less :D) For those of you who actually read the author's notes, I usually spend my summer vacations with my cousins at Maryland, the birthplace of Masquerade. I know some of you live in Maryland, so if you ever see a really short asian girl with auburn hair and blonde highlights, say hi. It's me xD**

**And by the way, HAPPY BELATED TEENAGE WASTELAND ANNIVERSARY! *virtual party* I wrote the first chapter of Teenage Wasteland on May 16, 2010. It's officially been more than a year since then, so... *parties* **

**So as some of you know, since I'm really asian, I'm on the badminton team. Since then I've been to so many schools, and luckily, we beat the best one ;D I was sick, too o.o So the instant we won, me and my friend ran across the gym and screamed our heads off only to have her accidentally elbow me in the jaw T-T I couldn't laugh or eat. It still hurts D: Lol now I'm going to reply to all 40 reviews from the last chapter O: 40 REVIEWS, MAN. I LOVE YOU ALL. HOT DIGGITY DAMN.**

**Wildfire37: Aww, first off, thank you for taking the time to read Ordinary Freak AND Teenage Wasteland :) It means a real lot T-T And thank you for the formal compliment *insert heart here***

**Lupus7: Wow, an adult is reading my story O: I'm touched. And you like it? Thank you so much :D ! Glad to know this is being enjoyed by all ages :)**

**TheMaskedGirl: Oh, you can go ahead and steal Hope from me. I'm moving on xP Well, I don't know who to, but I'm attempting to move on haha. And I love how you refer to people as sexy beasts as well :D I thought I was the only one who did that :P And does my fanfic have epic healing powers that I don't even know about? Because I'm sick right now and it's not healing me D:**

**MoonPrincess016: Oh, I wish I could go on forever with this story ): Everyone seems to love it. Even I love it D: So far, it's my favourite out of anything I've come up with!**

**KtheHabit: Aww thank you :)**

**Fuline Lite: I'm gonna end up laughing too when Kairi finally gets together with him x3 And sorry if it was too emotional D:**

**supermario675: thank you :D yes, kh does rule ;)**

**Sunset of Eternity: If everyone had a Roxas or Sora... life would be good. So very good 8D *daydreams* And yeah I'm sure we'll get to see the other households soon :) Maybe not in the next chapter but soon :)**

**Dreamstation369: Lol, Axel is better crazy, that's new x) **

**One Sky One Dream One Destiny: You know, Sora and Kairi being parents was the whole reason I made that chapter x3 I find it cute :3 I hope you did too!**

**Artism: Lol, under real circumstances I would have given Cloud a black eye, but I don't want to influence others to do that x)**

**Pandamon: your username has panda in it *insert heart here* LOL sorry. And aww, I'm sorry I made your favourite FF character such an ass D: He gets better later don't worry :)**

**inspirexx: thank you so much :$ that means alot T-T**

**Suzumiya Haruka: bursts into marshmallows? That's so cute x3 and omg, im so sorry I reminded you of your ex! augh i did it again *hits self* SORRY D: **

**KH101: thank you :3**

**CupcakeLerman: To be honest, I don't want this story to come to an end ): I'm slowing the plot down as much as I can to make it last longer D: And LOL "AND you're asian, so PLUS!" LOL THANK YOU? And no, not bad luck, but that number does scare me o.o**

**ShadowSpooky: Don't worry about the length of the review. I appreciate the fact that you even reviewed in the first place :)**

**EternallySky: Aeris does have green eyes, but I made Aeris and Aerith two completely different people :$ And the xion sora flashback will DEFINITELY appear. It happens during a VERY dramatic part in the story, which happens way later on ;D *no spoilers***

**TakeruItsumo: aww why thank you :3**

**Zexionisawesome: thank you :) and U R damn right about Zexion being awesome ;)**

**ChocoIsu: Whoa, someone got high from reading my story. I'm bad D; Lol, everyone claims they hate that Friday song, but do you know how many people actually sing it for kicks? I know I do xD Don't worry about ranting. I rant too, so RANT AWAY :D**

**Tyjet Ansatsu: Thank you :) So it's actually good that a chapter goes slower?**

**Pomegranata: LMFAOOOO OMG. Your review actually made me ROFL. Epic saber and buster sword battle :D And the Riku Xion has a specific slot somewhere, but I'll let you know that it's coming real soon :D**

**Rytex: You're one of the few who liked the ringtone LOL. AND OMGOMGOMGOGMROFLROFLROFL OMG. THAT SONG. MY FRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT IT BUT HE NEVER TOLD ME THE TITLE. THE ONE THAT LASTS LIKE 3 SECONDS? OMGGGGG. YOU JUST MADE ME FREAK OUT, MAN. I find it freaking hilarious.**

**Spellbound aka soragir4ever: How do I make the fluff? I base it on past experiences and experiences that I wish would happen x)**

**beckster411: actually, those lines were never supposed to rhyme, but I thought it would be cuter if they did :3 I'm glad you noticed :D**

**sunshinemeg82: that's actually why I created Axel the way I did. When things get way too mushy, there has to be that combo breaker :P and LMFAO i know its so true that Roxas shows more affection to his brother and best friend than to his own girlfriend. That's why the next chapter is for them :)**

**khfan forlife: I'm sorry your favourite characters are like that O: I actually like them, too. They'll have their moments, don't worry :) They have reasons for it.**

**xocherry: LOL thanks for the props ;D**

**DragoNik: i WISH my itouch had that epic tracking stuff. But its so prehistoric -_-''**

**Phenomenon45: Thank you for complimenting my... perfection? (even though I highly doubt that lol) And by the way, THANK YOU for your long review. I absolutely LOVE reviews. THANKYOUU :D And believe me, I DID freak out about that intense test lol. **

**Sergant You DriPRED: LOL I thought I was the only who said "kick in the non-existant balls" but I guess I'm not :D**

**0 Wishful Thoughts 0: I'm alive! I'm alive! SORRY YOU THOUGHT I WAS DEAD D: And OMG i would NEVER discontinue this. This is like. My favourite story that I made. Aww and thank you for taking the time to review from your laptop :D and nice to know that i make you very happy :)**

**DuskSky: Aww thank you :) And she'll find out, well... she already kinda knows, she just refuses to believe it. But she'll believe it VERY soon :D**

**xSmielage: Thank you so much x3 Touching peoples hearts was a dream of mine for Teenage Wasteland :) And thank you so much for the complimenting long review :D (did that make sense? it seems off to me S:) And I heard about that Lemonade Mouth thing ! I was supposed to watch it but I had somewhere to go D: Was it good? O: & your name is Mari? That is such a beautiful name :D**

**Craxuan: Thank you :)**

**Wolfie: your review made me laugh. im not stupid. and my exam wasnt even the exit exam. **

**lazydude: thanks ! :D**

**Yummii-Meian: thank you :3**

**Sookdeo: i died for a few days when my itouch got stolen ): and sadly i dont have warranty because I've had it for like... 5 years haha.**

**DestinyKeyblade28: LOL thank you :D**

**Q-A the Authoress: 11pm? Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to read this :D**

**Wow. I started replying to those reviews at 7:46pm. It is now 8:29pm. Thank you all so much for those reviews :D Thank you for all the support. You guys do know this story wouldn't exist without you right? THANK YOU :D I'll update ASAP and sorry for grammar errors D: My 'D' button is still kinda busted. I love you all :)**

**xoKyorii**


	25. The Anniversary Part I

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** . ©

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**PLACES:**

**Disney Castle: **The fairytale castle that every Kingdom Hearts Resort Anniversary is held in.

**OTHER:**

**Yin and Yang: **A black and white symbol illustrating the Chinese belief of how things work.

**Megalixir:** A powerful elixir used to fully cure someone with a serious ailment. It can also be used to fight poison.

**Worlds Showcase:** Much like in Disneyworld's_ Epcot_, the Worlds Showcase is an elaborate showcase event of various worlds and cultures on the island. Teenagers can get a glimpse of every world as well as travel the galaxy in the span of a day. The Worlds Showcase is built specifically for teens who have a passion for travelling, culture and world affairs.

**A/N: **I obviously don't own anything disney featured here xP Also, the Disney Castle in this story is actually a little different from the one in Kingdom Hearts. It looks more like the castle you'd see in the beginning of every Disney film... you know, the fancy one with the fireworks and whatnot :P It's like the one in Disneyworld. It looks more royal and magical, no? (:

Oh, and before I forget, most of you live in the United States, yeah? Well, if you do, are any of you going to **Otakon** in Baltimore this year? Since I'm going to be visiting my cousin in Maryland, I might as well go anyway :P If any of you are going, SAY HI TO ME :D I'll be the little asian girl in the Kairi costume lol. Man, this is gona be hilarious. I could be ordering food and next to me could be like... Cloud Strife or something LOOL.

Anyway, on with the chapter! **This part of the story is split into 2 parts: the happy half (now) and the not-so-happy half (next).**

* * *

**. Chapter XXV .**

_**. The Anniversary Part I .  
. (The Happy Anniversary) .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"He reminds me that I don't have to be scared anymore."_

If Roxas had one wish, it would be to freeze this very moment.

He lay peacefully beside his fragile girlfriend who resembled an angel when she slept. The way the sun rays reflected off her face was just... breathtaking. He had never loved a woman so much in his life- well, except for his mother. Roxie loved his mother. But, without a doubt, no one could capture his heart as much as Namine Emori could.

He felt as if his heart was about to fall out of his chest. He felt as if... as if... as if he had fallen in love for the first time like he did when they first met. And (he was pretty darn sure about this) no matter how many seconds, minutes, hours, days or years went by, he would still feel exactly what he felt now. He would love this girl until the day he died. So what if people thought Sora was lucky to have Kairi? Screw that! Roxas thought he was the luckiest guy in the world.

"Mm..." Namine began to stir in Roxas' arms. In no time, her pale blue eyes met with pure vibrant ones, "M-Morning, Roxas."

"Namine, do you know what today is?" How his breath managed to stay minty fresh through the night was beyond her.

"Hm," She tapped her chin teasingly, "Saturday?"

Roxas pouted, "Baby, it's-"

"Oh I know," She giggled, poking her boyfriend's nose, "It's Axel birthday!"

Roxas shook his head impatiently, "Nami, no, it's-" He froze, "Wait, it's Axel's birthday? !" He suddenly went from being at the top of the world into a pityful hole of despair. How could he forget his own best friend's birthday? His pure eyes showed panic, in which Namine began to laugh. This calmed him down a little. Her laugh was better than any piece of music he could play.

"I'm joking, Roxas." The way she said his name so softly made him shudder. Silence fell between them as they looked into each other's eyes. It was clear that, without saying any words, Namine knew exactly what day it was. To them it seemed hardly possible. Had a year really gone by already? They hadn't noticed.

"Happy anniversary, baby." Roxas then leaned in for a slow, lingering kiss. And in all honesty, he wouldn't be surprised if he repeated those same words a hundred years from then- perhaps even in the afterlife.

* * *

"Target acquired. He's approximately 10 meters from your position. Maybe about 67 degrees from that tree over there."

"Affirmative. Appearance?"

"Black hoodie over head, white v-neck shirt, black skinny jeans, red vans and white bandana with black embroidery tied around the neck."

"Damnit, that's Axel's flirting bandana."

"Flirting bandana?"

"He wears it every time he's interested in a girl. Trust me. As his best friend's twin brother, I know these things."

"Second target acquired! She's heading his way as we speak!"

"I see her too. _Damn_, she's hot."

"Sora!"

"Don't worry, baby. You're still the hottest."

"That's not what I meant!"

"You're blushing right now aren't you?"

"Sora, we're two _friends_ on a mission. This is for Larxene. _Focus_."

"You are _so_ blushing-"

_Screeeeeeeeech!_

"Kairi, was that really necessary?"

"Yes, now shut up and watch them closely. I'll flank in from the left and head over to your position." Completely in character, Kairi peeked at her surroundings from behind a tree then barrel-rolled into the bushes where she met up with her fellow secret agent. She de-activated her binoculars and walkie-talkie and brought out a listening device that resembled a satelite from Sora's duffel bag. Even if Hayner was a tech dweeb, he really came in handy.

"You'd make one hella sexy secret agent." Sora complimented. He received a whack in the head from the listening device as a response. Kairi activated the device and peered through the bushes to spy on Axel. He and the young woman named Cinque were currently speaking about something by a spherical fountain. Sora zoomed in with his binoculars, focusing the resolution.

_"I really enjoyed doing business with you, Cinque."_ Came Axel's seductive but staticy voice through the device.

_"It's no problem, really. Thank you so much."_ Said Cinque.

Sora's eyes widened, "You don't think they..."

"They couldn't have," Kairi bit her lip, "Axel _wouldn't_ have."

_"So I'll see you tonight?"_ Axel asked. Sora zoomed in and caught the pyromaniac smirking in triumph. Cinque, in return, tucked her orange hair behind her ear and batted her eyelashes.

_"Of course."_

"Oh shyeet." Sora cursed. As Cinque left the premesis, leaving Axel all by himself, Kairi tossed the device aside and stood up. Sora grabbed her wrist before she did something rational, "Kairi, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm about to beat the crap out of Axel for cheating on Larxene!" Kairi forced Sora's grip off of her and stomped over to a dumbfounded looking Axel. Sora sighed and tossed the binoculars aside- why did his woman have to be so outspoken and brave? He had no other choice but to follow her, but before he did so, he placed a hood over his head to hide his identity.

"Axel Oryxine!" She whispered loudly. She didn't want to attract too many people and make a scene. He turned to look at her innocently. "_Oh_ don't give me that bullshark look. I know what's going on here."

He gulped, "You do?"

"Hell yeah I do!" The redhead screamed. Poeple turned to look at her but she managed to assure them that nothing was wrong. Then, when all the attention wore off, she continued in an angry whisper, "I can't believe you would do this to Larxene!"

"R-Really? I kinda saw it coming."

"Saw it coming? This is low, Axel. Even for you." Came Sora's voice behind him, "I thought you genuinly cared for someone this time."

"I_ do_." The pyro suddenly looked confused, "I don't think you guys know what's going on."

"Well there's no other possibility," Kairi stated, "We heard what you and that chick were talking about! Larxene's really worried and upset, you know! She's trying really hard, Axel. She's working three jobs just to help you! I know she can be a wiatch (and an even bigger one when she's prego) but she's _always_ helped you! I can't believe you'd cheat on her after all you've been through together!"

Sora whistled at Kairi's boldness. Axel, on the other hand, laughed in disbelief, "You think I'm _cheating_ on Larxene?"

Feeling stupid and judgemental, Kairi twiddled with her thumbs and mumbled, "Well there was no other explanation for what we heard..."

"And what did you hear?" Axel crossed his arms with his signature smirk.

"That you and Cinque had some_ business_ goin' on and that you'd see her tonight." Sora answered.

Axel scowled, "And you immediately thought that I'd been sleeping with her? Ouch."

"P-pshh, I didn't assume that," Sora scratched the back of his head (well, hood), "I thought you guys were... going to eat marshmallows together tonight. Ahaha... ahahaha... so really, what's the deal then?"

Axel sighed, "If I tell you two, will you get off my case and _promise_ not to tell anyone? _Especially_ Larxene. If you do, you're getting molotovs shoved up both your butts. And take my word on this- it _will_ hurt."

"P-promise." The double ex-couple said in unison.

Then in a barely audible whisper, Axel answered, "I'm proposing to Larxene. That's why I was talking to Cinque. Her dad owns a jewelry store and can have a ring customized for me. That's our business. I'm going to see her tonight at the anniversary to check its progress."

Sora, knowing how giddy Kairi got about the wedding subject, immediately clasped a hand over her mouth. He could feel her screaming on the palm of his hand. Axel sweatdropped as she continued her actions for about two minutes straight. When Sora's hand was feeling steamy, he let go and wiped his hand on his hoodie.

Kairi squealed but managed to keep her voice at a low level so no one could hear, "You're proposing? ! Oh my gosh, we're totally gonna make this like the Royal Wedding! No, no, BETTER! Oh, this is so exciting! I'm so sorry I judged you, Axel! You are a very great man! I can't wait for this! Can I help you? Please? I can help you plan, I promise! Oh my gosh we're gonna get flowers and fountains and cakes and _everything_-"

"Wow." Axel's mouth popped, "Girls, tch. So touchy about the wedding thing. I can already imagine how kickass _your_ wedding is gonna be."

"Yeah," Sora grinned, "I know." _Not because of the luxurious decorations, but because of this amazing girl right here._

* * *

**Hikari Household [Living room]**

"The Worlds Showcase?" Asked an unsure Hayner, "Do we have time for this? The anniversary is tonight and I need to dress up and get my make-up on..."

"Do you_ hear_ yourself?" Roxas gave him a look of disgust.

Selphie placed a hand over her heart and sobbed, "I know. It's beautiful."

"It's... I can't even describe it." Roxas shook his head in disapproval, "The Worlds Showcase would be such a great experience, guys! Besides, the Disney Castle is located in the showcase anyway! We can explore each exhibit _and_ make it in time for the party. We'll just change in the bathroom or something."

"You don't understand, Roxas," Hayner paused his COD (everyone practically fainted), "We can't simply change in the bathroom. There's more work that needs to be done. There's hair, make-up, wardrobe... it would be rather uncomfortable to do all that in a bathroom, don't you think? We gotta look good for the paparazzi."

Selphie began clapping proudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am a genius."

"Did _Hayner Arundel_, world famous gamer with over a million subscribers on youtube, just say that?" Roxas clenched his aching heart, "I thought I knew you, man!"

"Why do you want us to go, anyway?" The gamer asked as he performed a no-scope headshot, "Isn't it your anniversary with Nami? Don't you two want to be alone?"

"Well, yeah, but I figured that since it's so close to the castle, we might as well go together. Nami and I will secretly ditch you guys, anyway, haha. I'm just doing this for all your benefits, but since you want to turn into California Barbie, I guess I'll just tell Olette that you don't want to go with her. She seemed really excited and passionate about it, too-"

"Tickets. Now." Hayner demanded with a snap.

**Worlds Showcase**

The plan was plain and simple: go to the Worlds Showcase, have fun, go home early and get ready for the anniversary. There was only one problem, though- The Worlds Showcase. It was far too extravagent to even look away from!

In the center was a fenced lake, and in the center of that lake was a model statue of the galaxy made of metal. The area surrounding the lake was where the magic happened. Each world had its own designated area and was far better than anyone had ever imagined. It appeared as if the creators of the island had taken a segment of each world and tossed it into this miniature galaxy. Everything each world was known for was re-constructed to perfection.

"So, do you regret going now?" Roxas raised a brow as he placed a hand on Hayner's shoulder. Olette was next to him, bouncing up and down in excitement while looking at him with twinkling, admirable eyes. The gamer gave Roxas a sly look before shaking his head.

Kairi, walking aside Selphie with wide eyes, commented, "Wow, you did good with Hayner and Riku. They're _really_ cute." Sora gripped the edge of his map while biting on the edge of his sunglasses in jealousy. Kairi giggled and poked his nose without saying a word. Sora just rolled his eyes with a playful smile. Fangirls would normally kill for that smile, but seeing as Terra was with them, no one dared to step within 10 meters of the Hikari household.

"Okay people, it is currently-" Roxas checked his fancy shmancy watch, "-11:23am. We have approximately 6 and a half hours here, understand? 6 and a half hours to explore 14 exhibits. After that, we go home, get ready, board the limo and party at the Disney Castle as long as we want. If any of us gets lost, we meet here at 5:30pm, got it? 5:30pm sharp. If the clock strikes 5:30 and you're not here, I'm kicking your bumbum."

"Whatever, fairy twin brother." Sora stuck out his tongue as he started jogging towards the first world excitedly.

"S-Sora, wait up! SORA! Augh... well then," Roxas, with Namine clinging onto his arm, checked his WS map, "I guess we should get started. The first world is..."

* * *

**Land of Dragons**

"- it's a symbol of peace, love and balance. Yin, the black half, is said to be dark, passive and feminine whereas yang, the white half, is said to be positive, bright and masculine. But seeing as white suits you so well, my dear Nami, you'll have the white half. You're much brighter than anything I've ever seen." Roxas did the honour of placing the expensive yang necklace around his girlfriend's neck who accepted it with a thankful kiss. She, in return, placed the yin half around Roxas' neck. Together their necklaces formed a heart-shaped yin yang symbol.

"I love you." Roxas whispered with pure eyes.

"I love you, too." Namine embraced him with watery eyes.

"Aww, that is_ so_ cute." Selphie squealed from the door of the shop. Their first stop was the Land of Dragons, modelled after the movie Mulan and ancient China. There was a series of shops in the imperial city as well as a festival right at the pathway towards the emperor's palace. Lanterns of various colours swung from left and right, although it was almost certain that it would have looked much more spectacular at night.

As a dragon controlled by teens hiding under it passed by, Kairi couldn't help but agree with Selphie's statement, "I know, right? Roxas is so sweet."

"Please, we all know who he got that from." Sora winked, which was pretty stupid since he was wearing aviators.

Axel didn't seem to enjoy the romance, "Augh, I know it's their anniversary and all, but are we gonna have to deal with this all day?" He found himself being elbowed by his future fiancee. For reasons unknown to him, she seemed more agressive than usual.

"Hey, has anyone seen Hayner?" Olette asked as she emerged from a random shop with hair chopsticks in hand.

A masculine scream was heard nearby the palace. The household, assuming it was Hayner, ran towards the scream and found Hayner clinging onto a large, wooden red pole for dear life. He had two heavy medallions tied around both his wrists and tied around the pole. Atop the large pole was an arrow. Much like the movie Mulan, he was (unsuccessfully) trying to retrieve the arrow.

The instant the household pushed passed the crowd, they were met with a loud _**thud**. _Hayner was flat on his butt, arms still hugging the pole.

"A-are you okay?" Sora asked with a helping hand, although the answer was pretty evident on Hayner's pained face.

"My balls are _burning_." Hayner cringed as he accepted Sora's help.

"I'm guessing it wasn't easy." Riku stated the obvious as he removed the medallions.

"Let's just say they made it look much easier in the movie." Hayner then felt a powerful force against his chest. It was Olette, hugging him before placing her hands all over his body to check if he was injured. The contact made his face turn as red as Axel's hair.

"Riku," Kairi called, "Give me the medallions."

Sora's jaw dropped, "Kai, you're not gonna-"

"Come on, Sora! Let me give it a go!" Riku obeyed the redhead's command and tied the heavy medallions around her wrists, which were supposed to represent discipline and strength, both of which Kairi had. She approached the pole and tied the medallions around each other.

Sora removed his aviators and crossed his arms, "Fine, but if you fall, at least let me catch you." The crowd that had previously gathered _awwww'd_.

Roxas snorted, "An he thinks _I'm_ the cheesy one."

In thirty seconds flat, an arrow fell from the top of the wooden pole with Kairi sitting at the top.

The crowd cheered (minus Hayner who felt a tad showed up) with Sora left to marvel at Kairi's strength and tolerance. Kairi was wearing a loose graphic t-shirt, jean shorts and _wedge sneaker heels_ and she was _still_ able to hoist herself up to the arrow! And it was _freaking high_ up there! Wasn't she scared?

A whistle from Kairi broke Sora from his disbelief. He outstretched his arms, and in two seconds flat, Kairi fell into them.

"You're amazing." Were the only words he could muster.

* * *

**Beast's Castle**

"Oh my goodness, that is the most magnificent painting I've ever seen." Namine observed the ceiling of the ballroom in delight and awe, "It's as if it were painted by an angel..."

"Oh, so it was painted by you?" Roxas asked innocently while wrapping his arms around her from behind. Again, Axel was not the least bit interested.

"Hayner." Olette called sweetly from the oversized balcony doors. The gamer snapped out of his gaze and diligently followed her to the balcony outdoors. It was beautiful, but it had a creepy tint to it, compliments of the gargoyle statues. Vines spun around the rails and the wall with roses sprouting here and there.

"Yes, Olette?" Hayner gulped nervously as he shut the door behind him.

"You look... different." With the way she said it, Hayner couldn't distinguish whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. In response, he just gave her an odd look. She raised her hands by her chest in defence, "Don't get me wrong! Y-you look... really... good. Cute. Hot, even." She mumbled that last part, but Hayner caught it and blushed.

"Th-thanks." _I freaking love you, Selphie._

"But-"

_I freaking hate you, Selphie,_ "But?"

"But you don't need the make-up or the clothes, Hayner." Olette rushed, "You have a beautiful heart. You didn't need to change a thing... b-but I won't deny that it is a nice touch. B-but still, you were perfect just the way you were. I-it's your heart that matters."

Hayner, to shocked and confused to say anything, was saved by Selphie who opened the glass doors with an expression of panic on her face, "Guys, we have to get out of here. I swear a _dish_ tried to hit on me! And you know what else? A kettle _whistled_ at me... and I _liked_ it! *sniffle* We're getting out of here!"

When Olette swiftly walked inside with an obvious blush on her face, Hayner mouthed a simple _'thank you'_ to Selphie.

* * *

**Agrabah**

"Wow, it looks just like India!" Axel exclaimed. Everyone in the marketplace stared at him oddly. When Larxene smacked him across the head, he found out why. "Agrabah is modelled after Morocco, idiot."

The pyromaniac had a blank look on his face, "So are you telling me that the pointy building over there _isn't_ the Taj Mahal?" Larxene smacked herself in the head and proceeded down the marketplace with the household towards what Axel claimed to be the 'Taj Mahal'.

After about twenty minutes (the group had to take a little detour since Sora and Roxas attempted to belly dance), the household was lined up at the palace for what the island claimed to be the most magical experience of their lives. It was a 4D experience of the carpet ride in the movie _Aladdin_. When it was finally their turn, the ten were led to a roller coaster underground.

Seeing as it was a fast paced ride and could probably send Namine into cardiac arrest in at _least_ five seconds, the blonde couple decided to pass and go shopping at the bazaar.

"I can't freaking see anything!" Hayner whined impatiently. In return, he slammed into one of the four seater cars.

Sora chuckled and pushed him inside, "Karma's a biatch." While he and the gamer occupied the back seats of the carpet-like car, Kairi and Olette occupied the front and fastened their seatbelts.

"So how do you think this is gonna work?" Hayner asked.

His answer came swiftly as the four were sent flying across Agrabah in an unreal night sky seconds after.

The ride was so fast that it sent shivers down their spines and sent wind in their faces. Smoke machines even produced smoke to make it seem like they were soaring through the clouds. _A Whole New World_ began blasting unbelievably loud from the speakers (soon after they could all hear Axel singing an off-tune version of it from the car behind them) and everywhere they looked, everything looked real. Although Olette could tell that they were all just special effects and that the ground was rigged with screens to make it look like a bird's eye view of Agrabah.

When the coaster came to a sudden drop in the dark, the two girls screamed in fear and delight. Suddenly, a large room was illuminated with lights and the four zoomed across many models of wonders in the galaxy. Sora couldn't help but notice how adventerous and attentive Kairi was as she pointed and squealed over her surroundings.

Under normal cirumstances, an individual would admire the wonders, but Sora admired his own wonder- Kairi. Hayner did the same with Olette. The gamer could have sworn that it was the most breathaking experience of his life- that is, until his PSP fell from his pockets and the coaster rode through a loopty loop.

* * *

**Halloween Town**

"You're really serious about this, huh?" Kairi asked as she walked alongside Axel. Larxene, accompanied by most of the other members, were off to browse shops. Now the two redheads were leaning against a glitchy lightpost with Sora and Hayner sprawled across the bench beside them.

"Serious about what?" The pyromaniac asked with crossed arms, watching Larxene talk to Selphie about fashion from afar.

"About..." Kairi peeked to see if Hayner was listening- he wasn't. He was too busy grieving the loss of his beloved PSP while staring at a tombstone. "About Larxene. I can see it in your eyes."

"You thought I was joking?" Axel chuckled, "I was pretty darn serious."

"And I was pretty darn serious about helping, too." Kairi placed her hands behind her back and began rocking back and forth, "I know what it's like to care for someone a lot, so... I want to help you make this really special. Can I?"

"I'd be an idiot if I didn't accept any form of help." Axel gave her a gracious smile before shaking her hand, "Thanks." From the bench, Sora grinned.

"Oh _no_." Roxas' grip on Namine's hand tightened as they exited a shop, "We have to get out of here."

"Yeah, this place is giving me the creeps." Selphie lawfully admitted. It was even giving Riku the creeps. If you were to take his old look and transform it into a town, it would look exactly like Halloween Town. Dark, monochrome, old and depressing with a hint of cobwebs here and there.

Hayner patted Selphie's shoulder with his jaw agape, shaking his head while pointing in a certain direction. Selphie followed his shaking finger and dropped her jaw when she located Ultimecia and her minions.

"She found us!" Selphie whispered in panic. Hayner rolled her eyes for stating the obvious and began dragging her off to wherever everyone else was heading. The ten of them hid behind what seemed like a curly hill, huddled together at the bottom.

"I thought you were going to fire her!" Sora whispered angrily to his brother.

"I will, I will! We just... need someone brave enough to face her. We'll give the editing club a call and see if we can switch things up, all right?" Roxas answered, "Now... who wants to volunteer and get the crap beaten out of them by Ultimecia?" Everyone narrowed their eyes at the strongest of their pack.

"Don't look at me." Terra crossed his muscular arms and shut his eyes, "My job is to protect you, not sacrafice myself."

"Oh come _on_ Terra," Sora pouted, "We need someone strong, brave, skilled and masculine!"

"All right, all right, I can take a hint," Hayner smeared two lines of dirt across his cheeks, "I'll do it." Selphie, unable to contain herself, burst out laughing and was soon followed by the rest of the household. Hayner too began laughing although he was actually serious.

**Somewhere within sight of Curly Hill**

"They're laughing. They don't look the least bit broken, y'know?" Whispered an accented voice.

"Our goal isn't to break all of them," Came another viperous voice, "Just the ones that will lead to Sora's demise. What have you got so far, Ultimecia?"

"His brother with the blonde spiky hair is highly infatuated with his girlfriend today due to their anniversary," Ultimecia responded, "He is equivalent to about half Sora's life. If we hurt him, Sora will be hurt as well. The girl with the red hair is the most important to him. She's equivalent to Sora's life itself. If we break her, Sora would practically die. I've also observed that the girl with short black hair- I believe her name is Xion- deeply cares for both the twins. She's more infatuated with the blond one, though."

"So how shall we kill two birds with one stone, Edea?" The viperous voice from earlier was revealed to be Adel.

"I have an idea." Edea smirked, "Shall we commence Plan B, Fujin?"

After adjusting her eyepatch, Fu uttered darkly, "Immediately."

* * *

**Destiny Islands [ Main Island ]**

Xion could've sworn that the young man beside her was not human, but a divine celestial being- and no, it wasn't Sora nor Roxas.

It was her best friend Riku Somneri.

What had Selphie done to him? Whatever it was, it was magical. Xion had never seen him this way before. Without a dark cloud hovering over him, Riku was heavenly. Now his appearance matched his healing heart. Riku was... beautiful. Although he was just wearing simple jeans and a cowl-hooded sweater, he looked amazing. His features stood out more in this light form. She had never really noticed how perfectly chizzled and manly his face got as he matured.

The thought made her heart flutter. This trip had really brought out the best in him. Looking at him now made everything look brighter, and she wasn't just thinking that because the sun was seeping through the clouds.

Xion shook her head before she got any silly ideas. She and Riku were best friends, and that's how things were going to stay.

"Hey, Xion," _Goodness, even his voice_, "Are you coming?" When he turned to look at her, the short-haired girl lost her breath. She couldn't think straight with those pure aquamarine eyes staring straight at her.

_This is crazy,_ Xion thought silently. She had never felt this way about anyone before! Sure, there was Sora and eventually Roxas, but this was... different.

"Xion."

"O-oh, sorry." Shaking her head out of her trance, she began to observe her surroundings. She stood before a very accurate exhibit of the main island of Destiny Islands. There were paopu trees, lush greenery, welcoming shops and _everything_. The place suddenly made her feel sick. There were far too many horrid memories associated with this happy town. She couldn't go back.

"I'm sorry, Riku. I... I can't. I'm just going to sit on that bench over there." While hugging her arm, Xion began trudging over to said bench.

She felt a hand on her shoulder followed by the scent of cologne, "I understand. Let me go with you."

Although she felt the power of his words, she declined, "No. You've never been to Destiny Islands before, so this should be a fun experience for you. Go, Riku. I'll be fine."

"It can't be fun if you're not there." He said with an unevident blush. Xion, on the other hand, was not so lucky in the rosy cheek department. "I'm your best friend," Riku reminded as if she forgot, "I'll stand by you. Always. I know this place bothers you. What kind of friend would I be if I just left you here? I don't think I'd ever forgive myself if I ever left you."

It was official- the young man before Xion _was_ an angel.

**Destiny Islands [Marketplace]**

"It's this legend Destatiian people believe in," Roxas explained whilst holding what looked like half a starfruit in his hands, "When two people share this star-like fruit called a paopu fruit, their destinies become intertwined. They'll be connected for all eternity! So, Nami, not that we need some fruit to keep us together but maybe you and I could try-"

"Ooh, food!" Without paying any attention, Axel took half of the paopu fruit from his best friend's hands and popped it into his mouth. Roxas, who was far too busy informing his girlfriend remained careless about Axel's actions. So, without any warning, Roxas popped the half he had into his mouth. Namine's hands were up defensively against her chest with her jaw agape.

"Mm, what's wrong baby?" Roxas asked innocently with a half-full mouth.

"Roxas, you just gave the other half of the paopu fruit to Axel."

She had never seen food fly out of someone's mouth so fast.

**Some alley in Destiny Islands**

Axel hung upside down with his face in a trash can while Roxas held him by the ankles and shook him up and down.

"SPIT IT OUT YOU IDIOT! SPIT IT OUT!"

**Back at the marketplace**

"This is _so_ pathetic," Selphie lowered her sunglasses to get a better glimpse of the place, "Destiny Islands doesn't even look like this! Like, is this all we're known for? Paopu trees and paopu fruits? Like, they grow like freaking strawberries in our backyard and people here make it such a big deal!" She watched as another couple lined up for the paopu fruits, "We Destatiians have probably consumed over a hundred of these in our lifetime and do we look like we're intertwined to a crapload of people? NO! This is stereotypical!"

"Oh stop being so constructive," Olette teased, "You're just saying that because it's _your_ hometown. Come on, Selphie. You have to admit, it's still beautiful. You're lucky to live in such a welcoming town."

"I'll admit it's pretty," Kairi observed the area with her hands behind her back again, "But it's not nearly as beautiful as what it actually looks like. It doesn't have the right feel to it, you know? Maybe it's just me getting home sick, but... I really do miss that salty sea spray scent..." _And those warm hugs Sora would give me while we were on the hammock, the wind brushing against our faces- gah, stop._

Well, Kairi was at least grateful that they didn't replicate her playing island. That would've put a hole right through her heart with all the memories that came with it. Exhibit A: Sora's death.

"Quit the long face, Kairi." Sora then popped out of thin air and tossed her a small white box tied in a purple ribbon. When she opened it, her face lit up.

Chocolate paopucake.

* * *

**Olympus Coliseum**

When the ten entered the Greek fantasy, Sora first thought of Larxene in her Aphrodite uniform. He knew Kairi was probably thinking the same thing so the two doubled over in laughter when their eyes met. Everyone else looked lost at their inside joke.

"Oh will you just tell the boy you love him?" Hayner grumbled in Kairi's direction, to which Olette laughed at his lack of patience.

"What are you talking about?" The colour of Kairi's cheeks matched that of her hair.

"Oh _please_ don't make me put on a toga and sing_ I Won't Say I'm In Love._ I'm warning you, it won't be a pretty sight when I'm in a toga. It's been two weeks since I last shaved my legs-" He was shushed by Roxas, "You know, there are some things you should keep to yourself."

"Yeah, and I bet your singing will just be as scary as your legs-" As Axel let out an evil cackle, Hayner pushed him headfirst into a trashcan. Before everyone continued forward without helping Axel, they froze when a half man, half goat ran past them. They were completely speechless since he looked so real.

"I wonder how much he gets paid for that." Sora scratched his thigh, thinking of how uncomfortable that costume must have been.

"That was Philoctetes. He's the grumpy saytr trainer from Hercules." Olette informed.

"Philoctetes? Wow, what a name." Axel commented with the trash can still over his head, "How do you pronounce that last part? Tetes? Like," He anunciated, "_Tih-tees_? OH MY GOSH. THAT'S HILARIOUS. LARXENE, WE ARE SO NAMING OUR SON AFTER-" She slammed her purse against the side of the trash can.

"Whoa," Roxas' eyes travelled onto a large poster placed on a very ornate pillar, "Check this out. An Underworld Coliseum Tournament. That sounds intense... winning team gets 250, 000 munny. We should look into this."

"_Damn_ that's a lot of munny," After regaining his composure from Larxene's earlier impact, Axel elbowed Hayner's elbow, "So what do you say lover boy? Why don't you join this tournament and show your lady how manly you really are? ... Pf-PFFFT _OH_ who am I kidding? You? Manly? AHAHAHHAA-" Hayner sent a roundhouse kick to the trash can and sent Axel rolling down the coliseum and into the underworld where he fell into the 'Pool of Lost Souls'.

"Uh, Hayner," Roxas could hear the faint echoes of his best friend's screaming, "Axel can't swim."

"..."

"..."

"... your point?"

* * *

**Twilight Town**

"Ah, home sweet home!" After punching both fists into the air, Hayner fell face-first onto the ground and kissed it, "Just a few more weeks, baby... I'm coming home... I'm going to leave this place... leave the heartbreak... leave the drama... leave _everything_... soon it'll just be me, the struggle matches, the sea-salt and the PlayStation... just be patient, baby! I'm coming home!"

After rolling his exuberant eyes, Sora pulled on the back of Hayner's stylish zip vest and forced him upward, "Cut it out, will you? You'll scare Olette away." Well, Olette was far from frightened. She was too busy admiring the scenery and taking pictures.

Since the sun was actually beginning to set in real time, Twilight Town was exactly like Roxas, Namine, Riku, Xion and Hayer remembered it. It had the same sunset-painted effect to it and the welcoming feel. Shops lined the area and a large clock tower was placed right in the middle. Roxas could his girlfriend smiling at the clock and felt her hand grip his tighter.

"You remember." He stated while massaging her hand with his thumb.

"How could I forget?" She responded.

"What are you two talking about?" Selphie asked curiously.

"Oh my _goodness_," Axel whined, "Are you gonna tell them the story? If so, goodbye. I've heard this way too many times. Come on Larxene, let's go get some Quash."

"All right, but if you feed me _one drop_ of that stuff, don't blame me if something happens to your kid." And with that, the soon-to-be engaged couple went off in another direction. Riku and Xion headed off to the downtown region which now looked much brighter in the sunset.

"You see that clock tower over there?" Roxas pointed at the well-constructed tower, "In the_ real_ Twilight Town, exactly one year ago, I asked Namine to be my girlfriend up there and kissed her for the first time." Every girl (Xion inclusive, surprisingly) squealed and huddled over the couple.

"So, what's the story behind each kiss, hm?" Selphie giggled. Even Namine looked confused. Selphie rephrased, "Every time a couple kisses, there's usually a story behind it. So, Namine, why do you feel what you feel when you kiss Roxas?" For the first time, it wasn't only Namine that was blushing, but Roxas, too. The couple had never been asked something like that before. Namine had never answered something like that before.

"N-Nami, you don't have to answer tha-" He was immediately cut off by his girlfriend responding to the question.

"A... a nurse in the asylum I was once lived in told me that home would always be where the heart is. That time, I didn't think I had a heart or a home. Then... then Roxas came, and... when he kissed me up in that clock tower, which is one of the most famous attractions in Twilight Town, he made me feel as if I had a heart. As if... I was home. Every kiss... makes me feel safe. Every time I'm far from home, I get_ really_ scared. But, Roxas can just kiss me, and... it reminds me of home. He reminds me that I don't have to be scared anymore."

Sora, unable to contain himself, let out a pure 'awww' along with the girls. Roxas' face was being covered by his free hand. Soon enough, he began wiping his face with the collar of his plaid red button up sweater.

"Roxas, are you-" Roxas cut his brother off, "I-I'm _not_ crying!"

"Aww," Selphie stroked the blubbering twin's back, "It's okay little fella. Let it out Roxie, just let it out-"

"I am _not_ crying!" He screeched in denial. He tugged on Namine's hand and led them elsewhere, "Come on Nami!" Selphie let out a sound between a chuckle and an 'aww'.

Sora, on the other hand, watched his brother leave hand in hand with his girlfriend to the direction of the clock tower. With his brother's back turned to him, it reminded him of the day they were seperated. That day was heartbreaking for the both of them. The memory was fresh in Sora's mind, breaking his heart. When the summer was over, he and Roxas would be seperated once again. He would feel that same pain of being separated from his other half.

_Whoa... is it just me, or did that sound a little homosexual?_

"Quit the long face, Sora." Came Kairi's sweet voice from behind him. She tossed him a small, rectangular package wrapped in a blue ribbon. When he opened it, she had never seen someone's mood change so fast. He thanked her by scooping her up in his arms; she knew him all too well.

Sea-salt ice cream.

**Twilight Town [Downtown]**

"You see that store over there?" Xion skipped alongside her best friend while pointing at a replica of a store in their hometown, "That's where I won the tickets here. I bought us sea-salt ice cream, paid the woman, and next thing you know, there's confetti dancing all around me!"

"Really now?" Riku remained expressionless about the situation, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. Xion seemed to like his new appearance. He had even caught her staring a few times. He mentally thanked Selphie for her help.

"Well, she had me try out the contest after I paid for the ice-cream. Remember, the one who pulls out a pink golf ball is the winner?" She reminded.

"Oh, I remember." Xion had never heard Riku sound so sure about anything before. From the corner of his eye, Riku watched his best friend marvel at how amazing the downtown exhibit looked. Her excitement over took her as she grabbed his arm, leading him elsewhere. In the back of his mind, behind the blush on his cheeks, he thought, _I wonder if she figured out that I paid the woman at the store to rig the golf balls for her..._

* * *

**Disney Castle**

"Whoa," When Sora came to a hault with his jaw agape, so did everyone else. "Is that where we're supposed to go later?"

Before the ten was a large, fantasy-like castle. It was no doubt the biggest in the whole showcase and not to mention the best. The structure was the most magical and exquisite thing they had ever laid eyes on. The walls were made of beige coloured bricks and the high, pointed roofs were a royal blue. If it looked this magnificant in the sunset light, they could already imagine how amazing it would look at night with various coloured lights and fireworks. Workers were already hauling out flags with a silhouette of Mickey Mouse's head on it, rolling out the red carpet towards the castle entrance and adjusting lights for the night's events.

It was... unreal. No one was able to tear their eyes off the place.

"Wh-what time were we supposed to get ready again?" Hayner asked in excitement.

Roxas, not even wanting to take a one-second glance at his watch, guessed, "It's 4:30... we have an hour left. I think the next world is Atlantica." The girls had already broken through the spell and began talking amongst each other.

"I don't think I can move. Even my balls are paralyzed." Said Axel. Every guy seemed to be paralyzed by the castle _and_ the girls. Each one of them seemed to be daydreaming about the night's festivities and how it would go with _their_ women.

Roxas was the only one not buying it, "Guys, _come on_! You can see the pretty castle later! The girls are already leaving! GUYS! HELLO? _Atlantica_? Clam shell bras, half-naked girls? !"

None moved an inch.

_Wow._ "... _Your_ girl half-naked with clam shell bras?"

In his eighteen years of existance, Roxas had never seen people move that fast.

* * *

**Atlantica**

"You're such a liar, Roxie." Axel whined with puffed cheeks, "You promised me half-naked girls and what am I looking at? A whale! I'm looking at a freaking _beluga whale_! I don't think a beluga whale would look sexy in a clam shell bra!"

"Stop complaining!" Sora pleaded, "So what if you're looking at a whale? Enjoy it! It's so cute, don't you think? Look, it's smiling at me! If you ask me, this aquarium is pretty sexy."

Indeed, it was. They were surrounded by one _humoungus_ tank. All the roaming teens were in a clear tube pathway surrounded by ocean life. It looked as if they really were in an underwater fantasy... minus the informational screens.

"Please," Axel scoffed as he scared a dolphin away by smacking his fist onto the glass, "If Kairi took off her shirt right now, I bet-" Sora threw his tanned hand over the older man's mouth as Kairi strolled by.

"Hi Kairi." Sora said casually with a grin.

"Hello, Sora." She responded sweetly as she ran down the tube pathway. Why she looked so excited was beyond the two. After Sora snapped out of his daze, he kneed Axel in the stomach.

"AUGH, YOU SON OF A-" The pyromaniac's ears perked up, "Do you hear that?"

The Oathkeeper's lead singer listened carefully until he heard the sound of happy music coming from the direction Kairi ran off to, "Yeah, I hear it... and..." He listened even more intently, "I know that voice." _That angelic voice... Kairi._

Sora dragged Axel down the tube until they arrived at a replica of what looked like King Triton's throne room. Splashes of bright coloured lights danced around the unbelievably large room held up by pillars with seaweed wrapped around it. The detail was so incredible that anyone would have to question just how rich Solice was to even have the place built.

Overall, it looked an underwater club with people dressed as merpeople partying all over the place (and in fact, some fish from the aquarium were dancing, too)- and Kairi was right in the center of it all.

As The Little Mermaid's _Under The Sea_ blasted from the speakers, Sora could see her dancing in a large open clam with some young woman dressed as Ariel. While she and Ariel were the main singers, Selphie (dancing with a rather attractive merman) and the other merpeople sang and danced along. As usual, Kairi's voice was flawless as could be. She looked simply magnificent with splashes of different colours all over her.

"Now _this_ is what I'm talking about!" Axel cheered and went off to dance with Larxene and some mermaids. Roxas and Namine remained off to the side, browsing the gift shop while Riku and Xion were nowhere to be found. Olette was already in the gift shop with Hayner, giggling while holding up a clam shell bra by the gamer's chest.

"Don't just stand there!" Towards Sora came a giggling Kairi with two mics in hand. She tossed him one and placed an arm around his shoulders, "Sing, Sora, sing!"

After being dragged to the center of the clam, he complied after having a fit of laughter, "Darling it's better, down where it's wetter, take it from meeeee!"

**Ariel's Grotto**

Xion sat in the middle of the treasure filled grotto hugging her knees. It was much darker in this part of the aquarium than anywhere else. She felt as if the darkness truly expressed how she really felt inside- dark and lonely. The only source of light was the sunset light seeping through a small hole in the roof. She looked up at it intently, feeling no warmth.

"There you are." Echoed a voice from the entrance. It was like everything got brighter when he walked inside, "What are you doing here?"

"Moping." Xion answered earnesty. Sora's voice was so loud that it was echoing through the walls.

Riku took the seat next to her on the rock, hugging his knees as well, "I see that. Why? You're not going to join everyone else?"

"I can't." Her head sunk more into her knees. Riku thought it was a shame that she was hiding her beautiful face- it looked so pretty against the sunset light. "I feel like they still hate me for what I've done. At times, it may appear as if they've forgiven me, but... I feel like they're just pretending sometimes. S-Sorry Riku, I'm rambling here..."

He cleared his throat and asked her a rhetorical question, "Who am I again?"

"Right, right," Xion felt stupid for forgetting her relationship with him. It was just so hard to believe with the new appearance and all, "I just wish... I just wish I could really believe that I _belong_ with them, you know? It's like they've all known each other since forever. I want to be forgiven. I want to join their circle... I... I want to be where they are. Up there, where everyone belongs... I know it's just a stupid wish, but a girl can dream, can't she?"

* * *

**Pride Lands**

"NANTS INGONYAMA BAGITHI BABA! Sithi uhhmmm ingonyama...NAAAAANTS INGONYAMA NENGW' ENAMABAAL... UH... TIMONE AND PUMBAA!"

Unlike the wasteland the ten had expected to see, they were faced with lush, radiant greenery, plantlife, clear waterfalls and sturdy, firm rocks that formed what was known as 'Pride Rock'. Currently, at the peak of said rock, Hayner was praising a baby lion that he was allowed to pet by the zookeepers by holding it up into the air.

"Do you have _any_ idea what you're saying?" Asked a chuckling Roxas from behind while petting another cub with Namine.

"I actually don't." Hayner admitted with a laugh. But things soon became serious when he lost his grip on the lion as it fell off pride rock. "OH DEAR GOD! OH GOD! THIS IS JUST LIKE THE PSP THING BUT LESS IMPORTANT!" He screamed whie sprinting down the rocks.

With a sweatdrop, Roxas immediately ran to the edge and looked down below. Luckily the baby had fallen into the arms of Olette down below before Hayner arrived.

"Are you all right, little fella?" Olette cooed as she played with its paw. A zookeeper managed to take the cub away before it began doing anything rational. Then the zookeeper caled security and asked them to kick Hayner out due to animal cruelty.

Hayner came down not long after, breathing heavily, "N-nice *breath* catch."

"Thanks." Olette blushed and hugged her right arm.

From atop the rock, Roxas and Axel began singing in their deep tenor voices, "CAN YOU FEEL... THE LOVE TONIGHT? !"

Almost immediately, the gamer gave them the inappropriate finger while being hauled away by two security guards. The two best friends laughed and high-fived each other, but Axel's laughter died down faster than Roxas liked.

"Is something wrong, Axel?" The sunkist-blond asked his troubled looking 'BFFL'.

For dramatic effect, Axel looked off into the sunset and placed his hands in his pockets, "I feel like we're having too much fun. We're enjoying this showcase when we should be practicing for Battle of The Bands... What if we end up losing, Roxas? I literally can't afford to lose the competition. If we do, there's no way I'll be able to give my family a good life."

"We won't lose," Roxas reassured, "And besides, you have your friends with you. You're not alone, don't worry." Then with a chuckle, Roxas added, "Hakuna matata." Axel, obviously not being very educated in the Disney department, raised his brows.

Roxas clarified word for word from the song itself, "It means no worries for the rest of your days."

"You're such a dork." Axel pulled him into a headlock and began giving him a noogie. In Axel language, that was just another way of saying 'thank you'.

**Oasis**

"_Man_ it's hot!" Kairi whined while fanning herself with a fake leaf, "This place is amazing, really. Not only do they have the African jungle look to it, but they even have the temperature dead on!"

Sora, being the only one walking alongside Kairi, suggested with a sly smile, "You should go for a swim then." To tease her, he pushed her slightly towards the water. She screamed and leapt into his arms, getting off immediately with a red face.

When Sora began doing his cute Sora laugh, Kairi huffed and began walking back into the jungle, "That's not funny, Sora!"

"Kai- oh_ come on_, Kairi! Don't walk away! Come back! I was just joking!" Sora ran after her nonetheless, finding himself in the wilderness of a lush African jungle. It reminded him of his adventures with Kairi back on Destiny Islands. There they explored every inch of the island and enjoyed every minute of it.

"Kairi?" Sora then called out seriously. He was too caught up daydreaming about the past that he had lost sight of her. The only response he received was the echo of his own worried voice, "Kairi? ! Kai- ahh!"

All Sora heard was a splash and, the next thing he knew, he was underwater. He swam upward and plopped his head back up on the river's surface, spitting out the water he had taken in. A rustle from some leaves caught his attention. Kairi came running through them with a frightened look in her eyes.

"Sora, are you-" When she saw his bobbing head on the water's surface, her laughter echoed throughout the whole jungle. Sora, under normal circumstances, would get impatient and splash the person laughing at him but there was just something about the way the sunset light hit Kairi's face as she laughed. It was just so... refreshing.

"A-ahaha! AHAHAHA! You see that? _That's_ what you get for trying to push me in Sora! AHAHA! IN YO FACE!" She clutched her stomach in pain of laughter, "How'd you get in there, spiky?"

"Ahahaha, so funny. Let's make fun of Sora's hair. I actually think I slipped on something. Now can you help me up? Please?" He pouted with his hair covering his eyes. Since the water was pretty deep, he actually had to tread to keep his head above water.

As Kairi's laughter died down, she lent her hand out to him. Sora took hold of her wrist and clasped it tighter than she expected. Her eyes widened as her attention moved from his tanned hand onto his smirking lips.

"Smart move, Iri."

"No, Sora, NO!"

Sora then pulled her in to join him and all of his soaking wet glory. Underwater, amongst all the bubbles, Sora lost his breath. Kairi underwater looked even more beautiful than he thought. Even with her hair sprawled over the place she was... he couldn't even describe it. When both their heads plopped up at the same time, they gasped for air.

"Augh!" She splashed water in his face playfully, "I'm wearing_ white_, Sora!"

"Sorry, sorry," The malevolent smirk on his lips told her that he didn't mean it, "I'll lend you my shirt after."

"And what about you?"

"Duh, I'll walk around in _your_ shirt. It's gonna be-" He snapped his fingers in a Z-formation, "So _stylish_ and _fab-u-lous_!"

"I don't even talk like that!" Instead of splashing him, Kairi went for a more violent approach and tackled him. Sora acted immediately and placed his arms around her waist to bring them both down into the water. They don't know how it happened, but when they reached the surface again, their foreheads were pressed together with Sora arms at Kairi's waist and Kairi's arms resting on Sora's shoulders. Sora slowly placed his hand at the back of her neck while looking her straight in the eye. Seeing as Kairi was a slender girl (and a little on the short side), he managed to hold her up with one arm.

The two breathed heavier than usual, trying to take in more oxygen while maintaining perfect eye contact. There was just something weird yet mesmerizing about Kairi's eyes. They were almost as blue as his but contained the strangest splash of purple. He loved them, for Kairi's eyes were open doors to her soul. Not only that, but she smelled _so good_.

They stared at each other for the longest time until Kairi's eyes dwindled onto something above them. Sora, half-wishing it was a mistletoe, found a loose vine. Kairi's looked at it with eager, adventerous eyes.

Sora did some calculations in his head and snapped his fingers while pointing at a large rock by the river's edge, "Stand there. I'll get it."

Kairi obeyed his orders while Sora swam in the other direction and began climbing a tree with remarkable speed. He leapt from one of the branches, grabbed onto the loose vine and cried out like a freak while swinging over to Kairi. He landed perfectly on his wet converse and offered the vine to Kairi.

"Thanks Tarzan." She accepted the vine with a thankful smile. After taking off her shoes, Kairi took a few steps back before charging towards the river whilst swinging on the vine, performing a perfect tumble in the air before splashing into the water. She plopped up to hear the sound Sora's clapping who had taken the vine in his hands as it returned.

"Brilliant, Kai, bravo! I think that deserves a ten!" Kairi really was proud of her dive until Sora did the same thing with a much more flawless drop. The water barely stirred when he fell in.

When he shook his head to dry his hair (which, by the way, was _already_ starting to defy gravity once again), Kairi puffed her cheeks, "You're such a show off."

"But you love me." He insisted while swimming towards her. He looked so adorable with his hair slightly drooping over his eyes.

"Yeah," Kairi tackled him again, "I do."

* * *

**Dwarf Woodlands (Deep Woods)**

"They've come, Ultimecia." Informed Adel from behind a dark tree. The Hikari's new interviewer smirked and motioned a Fuu to reveal herself from the bushes. She barrel-rolled to a wooden basket selling 'poisonous apples'. The apples weren't really poisonous, just coated with sticky, sugary caramel. Fuu, on the other hand, actually replaced the apples with poisonous ones. When the person selling them returned from their break, Fuu skillfully disappeared into the trees and watched the show.

**Cottage Clearing**

"Ah, the Dwarf Woodlands," Sora stretched and sniffed the flower-scented air, "The land of Snow White. I could only imagine what Roxas would try on Namine." And soon enough, Sora's sarcastic remark was made correct as the blonde couple shared a romantic kiss while Namine lay on Snow White's coffin. Axel_ boo'd_ from his position at Roxas' cheesiness.

"Hey, instead of watching the magical moment I'm sharing with the love of my life like freakish stalkers, why don't you guys explore elsewhere?" Roxas suggested while looking at his watch, "You have five minutes left. Make the most of it."

Selphie's jaw dropped, "Five minutes? ! But we haven't even gone through all the worlds-"

"I'm trying to kiss my girlfriend here!" Roxas pointed in another direction and forced them to leave.

"Oh _hell no_," Hayner and the eight remaining were faced with a sinister looking forest, "I am _not_ going in there!" He backed away in fear and cared less about showing his frightened and unmanly persona to Olette.

"What would you rather face?" Sora placed an arm around the gamer's shoulders and gave him two options, "This creepy forest that looks like some next _Lord of The Rings_ thing with talking trees, or the vicious Roxas trying to make out with his woman?"

Hayner's decision was quick and easy. In unison, the two boys agreed, "Forest."

**Deep Woods**

Five seconds into the darkness, Axel came running behind Kairi screaming like a ten-year-old girl. When asked what he saw, the pyro widened his seductive (yet now frightened) green eyes and sputtered, "I just saw Tidus..._ half-naked_!"

Sora, who, by the way, was now wearing Roxas' plaid button up sweater (his twin brother luckily had a white shirt under while Sora gave his v-neck shirt to Kairi) rolled his eyes, "Haven't you seen a shirtless guy befo-"

"_Waist down_." He clarified. The guys shivered.

"Front or back?" Hayner asked in terror.

"Back," Axel could feel his soul returning to his body once again, "But still! I just saw another's guy's a-... _bumbum_!"

"Now what would Tidus be doing mooning people in the middle of the woods?" Selphie tapped her chin and began to investigate with everyone else. Olette was the first to find him and, she had to admit, it wasn't the best sight to see. Half of Tidus' body was headfirst in a tree hollow, his jeans already at his knees. The more he struggled to escape, the more he exposed what scared Axel away. Poor Tidus' boxers were lowering by the minute. Rikku, Paine, Yuna and Wakka surrounded him with hopeless expressions.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my best friend." Sora presented with sarcasm.

"What happened?" Selphie asked.

"Well-" Wakka was interupted by Hayner, "Dude, sorry, but since we can't understand a freaking word you're saying half the time, I think someone else should tell the story." After being elbowed by Selphie, she gestured for Rikku to explain.

"While YRP and Wakka went to explore these woods, Tidus ran off somewhere and came back screaming like a girl. He claimed that a black mirror spoke to him," The braided blonde rolled her eyes, "So in fear and carelessness, he bumped into this tree hollow here and got stuck."

In the midst of laughter came Tidus' muffled voice from inside the tree, "It's not funny! The mirror was talking to me, okay? My reflection wasn't even on it! I _know_ what I heard!"

"Baby, calm down," Yuna comforted, "We'll get you out of there." Then from behind some rustling bushes, a teen dressed as an old woman (with _very_ convincing makeup) emerged with a basket of caramel apples in hand. Not knowing that they were really poisonous, she offered some to the group. Rikku was the only one who accepted one, and the instant she took a bite out of it, her legs went numb, her head was spinning and there was a burning sensation in her stomach as she fell unconcious.

"Rikku!" Yuna screamed, shaking her best friend's limp body.

"That smell..." Terra's noise stiffened as he stared at the apple in Rikku's hand, "It's poison." As Sora's head snapped up to find the old woman, he found two things that he_ really_ didn't want to see. One, the woman had already disappeared into the dark depths of the woods. And two, Kairi (who was at a pretty far distance from them) was unconcious on the ground with an apple rolling out of her hands.

When everyone averted their attention onto the two girls that had fainted, Tidus began to scream in neglect, "Guys, what happened? Can you help me out first? ! Half-naked guy in a tree here! GUYS?"

**Hikari Household**

"Hayner, can you get the megalixir from the medicine cabinet? It'll help us fight the poison. Get a potion, too. It'll slow the process of the poison in her body." Demanded Roxas. He and Axel were currently placing the monochromatic looking Kairi onto the couch.

Sora was clearly too fidgety to do so, "Why am I so damn careless? ! I let my guard down for_ a minute_ and she ends up being diagnosed with poison in her body! Someone's out to get us. I_ swear_ someone's out to get us! Who the hell would do this? ! I'm going to_ kill_ them! I'll teach them to get their filthy hands on _my_ woman-"

"Calm down, Sora. Whoever it is, I'm pretty sure they'll get caught soon enough if they have poison in their possesion." Roxas assured, placing Kairi in a curled ball position.

"I bet it's the same person who snuck the orichalcum in her drink." Axel cracked his knuckles at the memory.

"Whoever it is will suffer the same fate once we find them both." Sora growled.

"You know, I never imagined that we'd actually use the megalixir." Hayner returned with the bottle and tossed it to Roxas who caught it so easily that it made Hayner's toss look pathetic.

"How long do you think this will last?" Sora took the seat next to Kairi on the couch and gently removed the strands of hair covering her face.

"With the megalixir, she should be out for at least two hours." Roxas began filling a needle with the liquid and tapping the tip with his finger.

"_Two hours_?" Selphie exclaimed, "We have to be at the anniversary in two hours! You of all people know that Kairi can't be absent, Roxas! She's in the Infractus Tango!"

"I know that." The sunkist blond slowly injected the liquid into Kairi's left arm, "But it's better than not being there at all." Slowly, colour began to return to her face. Sora was extremely thankful for this.

"I'm sorry." Terra apologized, "If I had known the apples were poisonous sooner, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"It's fine, Terra." The look on Sora's face contradicted the term 'fine', "Without you, we never would've found out that the apples were poisonous, so... thank you."

Not meaning to sound hasty, Roxas informed, "Guys, it's 5:45. We should start getting ready." With agreeing nods, everyone besides the twins and Kairi went to their rooms.

"Sora?" Roxas asked in the silence.

"You know I won't leave." His voice choked as tears brimmed his eyes. He took Kairi's cold hand in his hand and massaged it with his thumb, "We'll make it. My motorcycle's pretty fast."

"I'll take your word on that. Just make sure she gets enough rest, okay? If she wakes up early, give her a potion. We need to slow the poison as much as we can to have the megalixir eliminate it. If she moves too much, it won't take effect so its important you keep her asleep for two hours." Sora nodded as his brother saluted, "Good luck."

"I've lost track of how many times I've had to thank you, Roxas." Sora half-chuckled, "But thank you... again."

When Roxas left and the living room was silent, Sora began scolding himself. He had failed to protect her again. He felt like a failure. How could he let darkness come to his light? Why did people insist on hurting the one he loved? It was like she was the light that attracted dark moths.

"I'm so sorry, Kairi." Sora's grip on her hand tightened as he continued to stare at her pale face. Even when she looked her worst Sora found her extraordinary. Throughout their journey of the galaxy, Sora had come to realize why he loved this girl so much. She was _everything_.

She was as adventerous and curious as Jasmine, as strong and determined as the warrior Mulan, as doubtful, yet caring as Megara, as wise and outspoken as Belle, as talented as Ariel, as giving as Sally, as hardworking as Cinderella, as skilled as Nala, as sweet (and apparently as gullible) as Snow White, as beautiful as Aurora and as amazing as who she was- Kairi. Kairi Lovelock. The woman he loved with all his heart.

He gulped as his eyes drifted onto her pale lips. They were in dier need of warmth and colour. Warmth and colour that he could easily provide with one gesture. One cheesy, but meaningful fairtytale gesture.

_We never did visit the land of Sleeping Beauty, did we?_ Sora smiled blissfully as he caressed her cheek. She must have been out cold if she couldn't feel his hand on her face. When they were dating, she recognized his touch immediately in her sleep. He bit his lip and tried to resist the temptation of her sweet lips.

But obviously his will power wasn't strong enough to hold him back as he leaned in and captured her bottom lip in a romantic, enchanting kiss.

It was amazing how fast the colour returned to her lips and her face after he had kissed her. Sora's heart fluttered as his hand moved from her cheek to her jawline. Suddenly her eyes began to stir and, eventually, opened fully.

"S-Sora?" She asked groggily with her breath on his lips.

He backed away immediately, "Kairi! H-hi! Uh, you shouldn't be awake, ahahaha! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Her eyes narrowed, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah! Course!" _Does she know that I kissed her? I'm so screwed!_ "Uh, Kairi... did you... feel anything?" Her only response was to look at him tiredly. "Right, Kairi, right. You should be sleeping. I'll explain everything when you wake up. How does your stomach feel?"

"I-it hurts." She answered swiftly. Sora offered her a potion and adjusted her head to a more comfortable position on the pillow. "Thanks."

"No problem. Now get some sleep, Kairi. Don't move, don't worry about anything. I'll make the pain go away. I'll take care of you." Sora sealed his promise as he took her hand in his again. He brought it up to his chest and closed his eyes.

"Sora..." She sounded like she was in pain.

"Mm?"

"I-if it isn't too much trouble..." She mumbled, "Could you sing me a song? A-any song, as long as I can fall asleep your comforting voice..."

"Of course, Kairi." He whispered. Sora didn't even have to ponder over which song he was going to sing. He already knew. They both knew the song very well. It was a well-known lullaby on Destiny Islands. The song that broke them apart and brought them together. Their song. Their own fairytale song.

_"Donna toki datte. Tada hitori de. Unmei wasurete. Ikite kita no ni. Totsuzen no hikari no naka me ga sameru. Mayonaka ni..."_

And with that, Kairi felt the pain subside as she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

**In the next chapter:**

_"I would like to welcome you all to the third anniversary of Kingdom Hearts Resort!"_

_"That's it, Axel Oryxine. We're through."_

_"You were right from the beginning, Kairi! The Hikaris are just no-good, lying cheaters!"_

___"Roxas, why are you BALD?"_

_"Cause when I'm with him, I'm thinking of you."_

_"Axel, I'm so sorry."_

* * *

**MUFASAAAA. Lol sorry, killed the mood there. You guys have _no idea_ about the disneyfest I had to go through to get this chapter done. I had to find all my disney movies and literally sit down and watch them while writing this chapter. I went through like... Mulan, Tangled (which will be used later because I absolutely LOVE that movie), The Little Mermaid (1&2), Shrek (LOL I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY), Sleeping Beauty (well, part of it :P), Hercules (again, part of it) The Lion King _and_ Aladdin! Even after... what, ten years? all these Disney movies still have the same effect on me :3 I didn't cry, though :P I'm not a crier when it comes to movies :) ****And now, thanks to this chapter, I have a whole crapload of disney songs on my iPhone :D**

**And I know Ventus and Aqua aren't in here. They're in the next one. Trust. And more Ultimecia horror *evil cackle***

**Anyway, moving on to _why_ I made this chapter. I know I slowed it down and made modifications but I simply couldn't have written this story without this chapter. First of all, I think most of us can all agree that Disney is _amazing_. When I went to Disneyworld, the inspiration struck me as fast as lightning. Disney is a _huge_ part of Kingdom Hearts and I really wanted to incorporate that here :) And lastly, I found it kind of unfair that only Sora, Roxas, Xion and Riku got to explore all the worlds. I figured that everyone else deserved to, so, voila :D And I apologize that I couldn't add every world here ): There was actually supposed to be a Port Royal scene but I had to take it out since the chapter was already at 13, 000 words o.o **

**Now moving onto the fact that I'M FINISHED SCHOOL B*&%#!S ! EARLIER UPDATES BABY! It seems hardly possible that when I first wrote Masquerade, I was just starting high school. In the beginning of Teenage Wasteland, I was just finishing up my first year. Now I'm already finished my second year T-T And to think that a lot of you have been supporting me from the very beginning just makes me so teary T-T ! THANK YOUUUUU.**

**Okay, moments over. So who's going to Otakon in Baltimore this summer? As I said in the author's note in the beginning, I'll be going as Kairi :) My costume actually just came in two days ago and it's REALLY big on me xD If you do happen to go, I hope I see you there :) I'll be with my cousin who happens to be going as Faith from Mirror's Edge :O We'll be stalking every Sora and Roxas :3**

**Alright, lastly, thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! I have _43_ for the last chapter! _FORTY FREAKING THREE_! You guys... T-T And since you're all so amazing, I'm going to reply to them all :) I must have replied to over 700 reviews by now... but I don't plan on stopping!**

**Draco Oblivion: I know you probably haven't reached this chapter yet, but I would still like to thank you for all your reviews :) I really appreciate them and your support!**

**Orphina Girl: Aww thank you :3 I have a biggest fan AND I'm an idol? *cries* And for awhile I've been thinking about writing my own book but I could never start it :P I wish I could be a celebrity writer too x3**

**SuGinsomnia: Fanfiction lifeline? Really? That means a whole lot! And I'm sorry that some of your favourite stories have been cut short ): I hate it when that happens, too. And it means a lot that I made you hooked on this fanfic even if you don't obsess over KH as much :)**

**Noobster: Live of this stuff, huh? *places hand on heart* That's so meaningful. Thank you for the... _epic_ review :3 I see you like that word as much as I do haha**

**the ultimate kh fan: ty :)**

**LittleKeybladeNinja: Oh don't worry, I really don't mind you calling me your friend :D I'm glad that you consider me a friend! And don't worry, in the next chapter, it will reveal what Kairi asked of Cloud ;D**

**Sergant YouDRiPRED: _Whoa_ that is one trippy emoticon design thing! I'm _way_ to lazy to do anything like that, so thank you xD ! And I never really did plan on Cloud kidnapping Kairi, but I figured that if he did it in a more mannerful way (like tossing her in a limo... lol) it wouldn't be as bad xp Oh, and Infractus Tango is latin for 'Broken Tango' which is a dance that inspired me to create said tango (:**

**KtheHABIT: Thanks, that means alot :3 I worry if I disappoint my fans sometimes, but you reassured me :)**

**Fuline Lite: Lol, I _know_ right? If I was watching Teenage Wasteland in real life, I'd freaking slap Kairi and tell her to wake up LOOL. We're so violent. And I _love_ it x) And I don't know why, but ever since I started playing Kingdom Hearts, I've always thought that Riku would have an obsession with his perfect flowing hair... I dont know why, but to me it's just right there xD**

**Dreamstation369: LOL you totally get me with the korean idol thing around xD AND LMAOOOO AT YOUR SISTER. She has every right to go "Mmmmm" at the iPhone. It's SEXYYYY. **

**Artism: OMG LOLOLOL I _promise_ you that I won't make Roxas and Axel a gay couple. You can SO bet my soul on that xD The thing between them is just meant to be a non-harmful joke. Besides, they're tied to their own women at the moment :)**

**Demon-Dragoness: Thanks, I appreciate that :D**

**Sookdeo: Aww, you have summer school? I went through that. HELL. But it feels SO GOOD when you're done :D I had the option to take summer school or not this year, and I chose not to xP And I'd love to hear what you think Kairi asked of Cloud! If you get it dead on correct I'm gonna be a little freaked out ahaha.**

**xSmielage: Is it just me, or have I see your username on my youtube page? :O And thank you for the long reviews :3 You know that I LOVE long reviews don't you? You're making me very happy :D ~! And ooh, you play the clarinet? So do I :) LMAO I KNOW in the game, no matter what the hell Hayner does, Olette doesn't do a freaking thing about it xD And actually, Kairi refers to _Sora_ as the better and good looking twin xD If she said that to Roxas, Namine would have her head on a stick... I really can't picture Nami doing that. The most she could do is throw a crayon at Kairi LOOL.**

**beckster411: I'm _so glad_ that you appreciated Riku's new hairstyle. I was thinking "What if the readers can't imagine it? What if I'm not writing this clearly? What if it sounds retarded? ! *pulls hair out*" and thank you :3 I appreciate that.**

**Redeeming Endeavor: First of all, your avatar. Unless my eyes are deceiving me, I see Legolas from LOTR. I. Freaking. Love. Legolas. OHMAGAWSH. In fact, I even bought the whole trilogy in blu-ray just to see him in HD *insert heart here* And I'm not going to lie. My heart stopped when I saw your username. I've heard about your story Milk and Marshmallows (I think that's what it's called... sorry if it's wrong) since it's _really_ popular. I decided to give it a read and OMG, I FREAKING LOVED IT. You're really talented, you know? So I really appreciate someone of your mighty talents to read this youngster's story :3 I really appreciate your rather long review and the compliments ! Not only that, but I feel like when I rea your reviews, they make me a better writer. You don't necessarily drool over the chapter, which is good :) And I'll keep your promise. I won't stop writing as long as I have fresh ideas in my head and new experiences I want to share. So really, I'll never stop writing. Thank you SO MUCH.**

**Phenomenon45: Hah, people have been using the word epic a lot now, haven't they? Don't worry, I love that word :P Oh, and Ultimecia is actually a character from Final Fantasy VIII and dissidia :P I can't take credit for creating that 'cool name' :P And did you ACTUALLY sleep through a test? OMG, I'd shoot myself. Hope everything's okay with you D: I feel it's legit, though. COD is more important LOL JK JK. And really, I don't know how Kairi can resist Sora's cuteness ): If I were her I'd freaking-... I don't know if I can keep this PG13 ahaha. And if ANYONE tried to steal my white iphone, they have to face the wrath of a little asian girl. We're _very_ vicious when it comes to our belongings. AND OMG. BEAT THE PERSON UP WHO STOLE UR PHONE. TEACH THEM TO TAKE IT AFTER A WEEK. *kicks air, fails***

**ChibixGiraffe: ty :) cute avatar :3**

**Rytex: LOL I know I freaking hate that song too. And sorry, that's my weakness, actually. The speed of my stories constantly changes. Like this one. This chapter went really slow :S Sorry!**

**The Moon's Berserk: LOL I know Sora listens to EVERYTHING. He goes from U2 to Utada to Nicki Minaj then Rebecca Black. I love him *insert heart here* and it's okay if you missed a review, I'm just happy that you do review :)**

**Moon Princess016: Thank you :) I really don't know how I got so lucky with all these reviews :) And saying that this is your favourite story really means alot, so thanks :D**

**Dusk-Sky: I'm actually really glad that you say my chapters are worth it. I get a little frightened before I update a chapter! Thanks for reassuring me. And thank you for saying that this is your favourite fic :)**

**ChocoIsu: LOL "Cloud should be a feeling" oh man, I want to get that legally made. I want that to be legit. "You're such a Cloud!" Sorry, I found it entertaining :P And yeah, I'm a full supporter of Lightning x Hope too but it might freak people out xD ... but I'm gonna put it in anyway. Shh! **

**One Sky One Dream One Destiny: Thank you :3 **

**Spellbound akaSoragirl4ever: Aww, don't say that ): I'm sure you're a wonderful person and will find the perfect guy. There's always someone out there for everyone that's made for them. I actually tried to teach that in this story :) I was actually fourteen when I went through some stupid love stuff (this was last year. lol.)... it didn't end so well. I suggest you guard your heart and wait for someone amazing, which I'm sure you'll get :) **

**TheMaskedGirl: You have Sora? Oh no you di-in't! *swarm of fangirls attack* ha, I'm joking. And aww, thank you :3 No one's complimented my personaity before! I figured that if people take the time to read and review my work, I should take the time to reply back :D And OMG, of COURSE you can use my name for a fic! Even give me the link- I'll add it onto my epic fan gallery on my profile page :D It means so much to me that you're doing this T-T I INSPIRED you? *cries even more* and of _course_ you can call me Kyra :)**

**MusicalSage: Thank you, it means a lot that you say I'm one of the best :) And ooh, Riku fangirl ;) Don't worry, since he's such a sweetheart (and a sexy beast), I won't change his godly appearance **

(there's no username O:) I THINK YOU'RE** LUPUS7: Uh. Yeah. There's no username xD So since I think you're Lupus7, THANK YOU! And I'd like to go for some realistic matchups, because really... Sora and Olette... not gonna happen xD Don't worry you're not a creep haha. And how old am I? I'm fifteen, actually :P**

**DragoNik: Something about your username makes it seem so epic... I think it's the capitlized N lol. And ooh, how did your exams go? I just finished mine yesterday :P And I WISH this was a manga! I was considering on drawing it myself lol. And maybe an anime. I'd love that O:**

**Tyjet Ansatsu: Oh, so you're Irish? Your language seems interesting- in a good way!**

**Suzumiya Haruka: Course I'm alive xD If I were dead I'd send someone to hack my account and tell all my fans that I'm dead or they'd think I abandoned them or something :S And don't worry, I have a huge knack for greek mythology :3 I love it!**

**sunshinemeg82: awww did you really cry at the ven and aqua thing? I'm so sorry :S !**

**paopufruit-to-go: Oh don't say that D: To me, no reviews are better than others. They're all special because people actually took the time to write them :) And I actually don't think I'm the major of Kingdom Hearts, there are... about 2 I think that have a higher fame status in Kingdom Hearts than I do :P And I've been thinking about writing a real book, but I can't seem to start it :P**

**ShadowSpooky: LOL if Riku walked around shirtless, that would've exposed his scars from being abused :/ And I think I answered your question :)**

**DeadxColour: Aww thank you :) I have to reply to my reviews. If you all took the time to read and review, I should reply :)**

**xLycheeRAiN: How exactly do you proounce lychee? I say _lai-chi_ but my chinese homies keep saying _lee-chi_. Sorry, I just really wanted to know xD And yeah, this story will be ending soon :S Maybe 6 more chapters? Maybe more? I don't want it to end either ):**

**CupcakeLerman: LOL YEAH it's from a song called 'Discovery Channel'. And omg, your review made me faint. College people. Talking about MY story. For half an hour. I. Just. Died. SERIOUSLY? DFJKGBDSFJKBGSDFJ. WHAT DID THEY SAY? Sorry... I'm curious xD Don't worry, I can take criticism! **

**lala: aww ty :3**

**Q-A the Authoress: Wow! I'm glad that someone knew who Shiki was xD TWEWY should be in more KH fics. They're also Squenix and deserve some love x3**

**InfinityStream: So did I blow your mind with this chapter? :P The mindblowing one is actually coming up next x)**

**Wishful Thoughts: LMAO aww, I love it when my reviewers say they're reading with a crowd of people around them then they just start laughing and get unwanted attention xD And ahaha. Baby-daddy. That's cute. **

**DestinyKeyblader28: thank you :)**

**Wildfire37: Wow, last to review on the last chapter and first to review on this one :D And for sure. You can totally be creeped out by the new crew. AND LMAO. OMG. YOUR REVIEW ACTUALLY MADE ME LAUGH. "COD reference. It's getting serious." LOOOLLLL.**

**Guys, thank you so much for all those reviews :) I thought they were never gonna end! Thanks for all your support, really. I feel like I'm getting closer to all of you :) Thank you! Now I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review and I'm sorry for any grammar errors!**

**xoKyorii**


	26. The Anniversary Part II

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** . ©

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Cendia Oryxine (Stage 1):** Axel's biological mother. She works as a secretary on the third floor in Twilight Town's mental asylum. Despite her son's dangerous appearance, Cendia has a perfect complexion with a sweet face. Age unwanted to be revealed.

**Fun fact:** Cendia comes from the latin word_ Incendia_, which means 'fire'.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the following songs- Never Knew I Needed- Ne-Yo, Bust Your Windows- Jazmine Sullivan, Party Rock Anthem- LMFAO, So Close- Jon McLaughlin or the epic iPad 2 :P

* * *

**. Chapter XXVI .**

_**. The Anniversary Part II .**_  
_**. (The Not-So Happy Anniversary) .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"I have a feeling that... this is only the beginning."_

Namine could hardly recognize the girl in the mirror.

She looked so different from the one she remembered in the asylum. The shriveled up girl in the asylum was physically pale and emotionally dull. This girl was physically breathtaking and emotionally stronger. She was beautiful inside and out.

"Selphie, you are a miracle worker." Namine placed a hand on her cheek to confirm that it really was her in the mirror. It was like Selphie had taken her healthier personality, coloured it, and applied it onto her face. The way Namine liked to look at it, she turned into a valuable piece of art from once being a blank canvas.

"It's no problem, really." Selphie said while blending foundation onto her face with a kabuki brush, "It's your special day with Roxas, so I want to help make it special. So really, it's my pleasure."

_Knock knock knock!_

"Selphie, Nami, are you two re-" Maybe it was just a mere coincidence, but when Roxas decided to enter, Hayner (next door) blasted Ne-Yo's _'Never Knew I Needed'_ from _The Princess & The Frog_. It was quite funny, really. Roxas never thought of Hayner as the R&B type. But then again, that wasn't the point at hand. Right now, everything that existed was his Namine.

There she stood before him with the perfect loose curls, the perfect glowing face, the perfect dress and the perfect nervous smile.

He outstretched his hand, and when she took it, it made him believe that the girl holding his hand was actually real, "Y-you look... I... N-Namine? Is that really you?"

She giggled, "Do you need proof, Roxas?"

With a nod, he demanded while leaning in, "Kiss me."

From the corner of the room, Selphie cleared her throat from her vanity table. She pointed at the door and in two seconds flat, the blonde couple was thrown out of it and was met with a loud _slam!_ Nonetheless the two continued what they had meant to do inside.

When Roxas pulled away, he cupped his girlfriend's face in his warm hands, "Have you really been mine for a year?"

"Roxas," She batted her glittery eyelashes that did well to compliment her enhanced eyes, "I'd_ love_ to talk romantic with you, but the anniversary of Kingdom Hearts awaits us."

"Right, right." He pecked her lips one more time before leading them down the staircase with their hands intertwined. In the living room, they found Sora and Kairi cuddled together on the couch. Both were fast asleep with peaceful looks on their faces.

"Aww," Namine cooed, "That deserves a picture." It was then that Namine had realized she had forgotten something, "Ooh! Roxas, I forgot my clutch upstairs. I'll be right back!" As Namine skipped up the staircase, Roxas gave the scene on the couch a sly smile.

_If only Sora was awake._ He then noticed the drool about to escape his brother's mouth. If it ever did fall, it would land on Kairi's cheek. In disgust, Roxas desperately shook his twin awake.

Groggily, the brunet rubbed his eyes and licked his dry lips, "Mmh? Oh, Roxas. Hi. You look *yawn*... cute."

"How sweet, Sora." Roxas tapped his wrist watch, "She's got twenty minutes to go. Think you can get as cute as me before she wakes up to save time?"

"You say it like I'm not cute on an hourly basis." After pouting, Sora gave his brother a challenging smirk, "And for the record, I _know_ I can get sexier than you before Kairi wakes up."

"I accept that challenge." Roxas affirmed with a nod. To show that Sora had accepted it as well, he scooped Kairi up in his arms and carried her bridal style to his room. On his way up, Namine came walking down.

"Wow, you ruined it. I was going to take a picture." She gave Roxas a frown. He gave her a cheesy grin while shrugging. Halfway down the stairs Namine began to bite her lip anxiously.

"What's wrong?" Roxas offered his hand on the last couple of steps, "You don't look as excited as earlier."

She accepted his hand and gripped it tighter than expected, "It's... a _party_. A social gathering. A _very_ big social gathering."

"Namine," He swore with determined eyes, "If anyone there dares to hurt you, I'm going to make sure that it'll be the biggest regret of their life." As he continued, he placed a corsage on her wrist, "I'll protect you with my life. That I promise you until the day I die."

* * *

_How many times have I woken up not knowing how I got knocked out in the first place?_ Kairi asked herself as she woke up in Sora's bed yet again. And she knew _for sure_ that she never fell asleep there. _What time is it?_ She looked at his alarm clock while yawning. In the middle of the yawn, she screamed.

_7:18? Oh my gosh, oh my GOSH, the anniversary starts in fifteen minutes and I'm nowhere near ready!_ She threw the Sora-scented covers off of her and ran to the bathroom that the twins shared. Judging by the sound of a running sink from the other side, Sora was definetely in there. She didn't even bother knocking on the door, no, she just busted the door open.

"SO-" She stopped dead in her tracks and blushed the highest form of red possible. She suddenly regretted opening the door without permission. Well, half-regretted. The other half was just filled with very... let's just say_ pleasant_ thoughts.

Sora's chest and abs were still glistening from his previous shower, his bottom half covered in a towel starting at his waist. Although, it did expose a perfect pelvic v-muscle which made Kairi blush all the more. She had never seen muscles as toned and defined as his- not even in magazines! In his mouth was a toothbrush that he was too shocked to hold onto with any of his hands.

He suddenly spit it out in the middle of the awkward silence with wide eyes, "WHOA, WHOA, WHAT THE FRIG, KAI? ! THERE'S SUCH THING A KNOCKING, Y'KNOW! IF YOU WANTED TO SEE ME HALF-NAKED ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS ASK-"

"You're the one who didn't lock the door!" Kairi shielded her eyes with the palm of her hand, "Who takes a shower and leaves the door open? You totally set this up for yourself!"

"I didn't think you'd wake up on time!" He then opened a cabinet from the corner of the washroom and tossed her a towel. He ran out of the room and began pushing her inside the washroom, "Undress!"

"Excuse me? !" Kairi asked in disbelief.

"Sorry, that came out wrong... shower, now! Take a shower!" He demanded.

"But I have a washroom that I share with Nami-"

"NO TIME, JUST GO! I'LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING ON THE WAY!" He shut the door and began to rummage through his closet for a suitable outfit.

"_Sora_!" Kairi whined, "I need my shampoo and-"

"I'll get it!" He groaned, "JUST. TAKE. A. SHOWER!" After hearing her whine some more, he left to get her, as he liked to call them, 'girly necessities', in her washroom right down the hall. When he opened the door he was immediately hit with the sent of air freshener. Normally it wouldn't bug him, but this was one was just _way_ to strong. What were they trying to do, suffocate people?

He pulled aside the pink shower curtain and searched the ledges for Kairi's shampoo, conditioner and body wash. It was much more difficult than he thought since there were about a bagillion things on each ledge. He figured that since Kairi's hair smelt mostly of strawberries, she probably used the shampoo and conditioner that had strawberry patterns on them. And since her favourite colour was purple, the purple body wash must've been hers too.

"Kairi!" Sora too busted open the door, "I have your-"

The sound of her scream filled the whole house, "YOU IDIOT! AFTER YOU _JUST_ LECTURED ME ABOUT KNOCKING, YOU DON'T KNOCK YOURSELF? ! OUT, OUT!" After dropping the bottles on the rug, Sora was kicked out of his own bathroom.

He rubbed his aching behind and thought, _Oww, okay. I just got kicked out of my own bathroom by a half-naked Kairi. Wait a minute, hehe..._

"You better not be thinking anything perverted, Sora!" Came Kairi's annoyed voice followed by the sound of the shower turning on, "It was just a bra and jean shorts! You've seen be in a bikini before, this shouldn't be anything new!"

"Kairi, I'm an _teenage boy_! We sort of have this high tendency to turn _anything_ into some sexual innuendo! Besides, you _know_ I'm not going to try anything!" Sora reminded while leaning against the door, "Besides, cut me some slack! I just fought the crazy air freshener in your bathroom and got your girly necessities! I even got the fluffy soapy scrubby thingy!"

"It's called a loofah! Now go get dressed!" When he heard the screeching sound of the shower curtain, Sora smiled to himself. Not because he knew Kairi was naked, but because he felt like he and Kairi were in a domestic partnership or something. Then, after all the daydreaming, a thought occured to him, _Wait... why the hell do they call it a loofah?_

**15 minutes later**

"Kairi," A fully dressed Sora politely took the liberty of knocking on the door this time, "Are you ready?" The response he received was a smack to the face by the door.

"Have to get ready, have to get ready, have to get ready!" A soaking wet Kairi in a towel chanted as she raced for the door. She then noticed that poor Sora was rubbing his nose on the floor.

"Sora!" She rushed over to him and caressed his face, "I'm sorry!" The two were silenced after Kairi apologized. The first time they had seen each other on the island, they were in the same situation, only the difference was that Kairi had snobbed his pain. And, you know... Sora wasn't in a suit, Kairi wasn't half-naked and her hair wasn't soaking wet. Well, according to Sora, 'adorably' soaking wet.

"Wow, we've... grown a lot, haven't we?" She offered her hand to help him up.

He accepted it with a nervous smile, "Kairi, you're getting water all over my hardwood floor." _Don't say that's what she said, don't say that's what she said, DON'T SAY THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID._

"I'm sorry!" She bolted out of his room, "J-just wait for me downstairs! I'll get dressed and doll up real quick!" Then when she reached his doorway, she poked her head through the side and smiled at him, "And Sora... thanks. F-for the shampoo, a-and stuff..."

"Hardwood floor."

"Right, right! Sorry!"

**Another 15 minutes later**

_Go red bird, go! GO GO! YESSS, PERFECT HIT! I am SO sexy at this app! Okay, pull back... go yellow bird, go! GO G- NO, NO! TOO FAR! GO BACK! GO BACK YOU STUPID MOTHERF- _

"Sora!" He heard the faint sound of a door shut followed by the sound of footsteps, "I'm ready!"

_Well that was fast_, "All right!" Just as he was about to get off the staircase to put his shoes on by the doorway, Kairi appeared at the top of the staircase. As she made her way down the last couple of spiral steps, Sora was awestruck. For fifteen minutes, she looked incredibly beautiful. Heck, for any amount of time, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on.

"Wow." Was all he could muster.

"Wow to you, too." She complimented. Which, in all honesty, was true. Sora did look 'wow'. His fitting black suit complimented his fit figure so very well that it should've been illegal to look that good. It was unfair, actually. He wasn't even wearing make-up or anything and he looked like he could be on the cover of _Teenage Wasteland Weekly_.

"I'm running out of words to describe you, Kairi." He offered his hand out to her, which she gladly accepted.

Much like Namine, Kairi's hair was in loose curls but tied to the right side while keeping a few strands of hair down to frame her face. Her eyes shimmered more than usual and were splashed with some shades of gold, white and glitter. Her cheeks were naturally pink and her lips were candy-like and glossy. She wore a strapless tulle dress that flowed just above her knees and stuck out from her waist down. Every girl in the tango was to wear the same dress in different colours with their partners in matching ties. While Namine had gotten aquamarine earlier, Kairi got white laced with gold.

"Running out of good or bad words?" She teased as she hopped down on the last step.

"Bad." He chuckled, "Good, obviously. I think I've used every good word in the dictionary to describe you."

"Then make one up." She suggested as she released his hand to tie her shoes.

"Fine," He began doing the same with his dress shoes, "You look, hm... you look very... Kairi."

"I look _Kairi_? Well I sure hope I look like myself and not anyone else." She giggled as she criss-crossed white ribbons around her ankle all the way to her calf. She did the same with the other leg.

"Kairi should be an adjective." Sora politely opened the door for her, "Kairi: to be too beautifully unexplainable."

"If you're trying to butter me up after the half-naked bathroom incident, it's not working." She ruffled his hair while walking out into the cool night air.

"Wow," Sora shut the door and locked it, "I completely forgot about that until you brought it up." Then in a strong, masculine voice, Sora demanded, "Activate." Amongst the silence on their street, the two were met with the sound of an engine starting at the end of their driveway.

"W-wait, we're using your motorcycle to get there? !" Kairi exclaimed as she trailed behind him.

"Did you expect us to _walk_ there?" Sora half-laughed as he tossed her one of the helmets.

Kairi pouted while looking at her distorted reflection off the helmet, "Sora..."

He rolled his eyes as he boarded the cycle while putting on his helmet, "Your hair's gonna be fine-"

"No, not that." She flailed the bottom part of her dress. Sora's lips formed an 'O' shape. If Kairi had to hold him from behind, her dress would surely reveal much of her creamy legs. And not meaning to sound perverted or selfish, but Sora wanted to be the only one to see that much of her. After not much thought, he patted his lap.

If Kairi's helmet wasn't already on, Sora would've easily seen the blush on her cheeks. For the helmet, she was thankful. She hopped onto his lap and sat sideways so that both her feet were dangling on his left side.

"Hold on tight." He demanded while revving the engine. She complied by placing her arms around his neck. She had to admit; it felt _way_ better than when Cloud picked her up in his Fenrir.

"Don't let go." He whispered. To show that she understood, Kairi placed her head on his shoulder and held him tighter. In the next second, the two sped off with remarklable speed to the disney castle.

* * *

**7:52pm, Disney Castle**

"Man, this is the life!" Hayner kissed the crowd, bowed before them and posed for the paparazzi, "I feel like a celebrity! Well, more so than I used to."

The instant the nine (Axel, Olette and Larxene inclusive to the members of the Hikari household that were present) stepped out of the limo, they were met with a red carpet and a cheering crowd on the sidelines that stretched all the way to the gate of the castle. There were so many flashes from the paparazzi that Riku swore he was going to go blind by the end of the night.

"Do these people even know who you are?" Larxene asked sourly.

Hayner cleared his throat, "Any gamers in the house?" A few guys and girls raised their hands. Hayner pointed at one hyperactive girl to describe who he was.

"Hayner Arundel! I can't believe I'm _this close_ to the galaxy's youngest gamer prodigy!" She squealed, "And you're _so_ cute, too!" From the sidelines, Olette fought the urge to growl and rip the fangirl's head off. It seemed very off character, but if someone were to stop her roller coaster ride, she'd get pretty pissed.

"Hayner," She firmly placed her arm around his shoulders (his blush remained unnoticed), "You look handsome tonight." Well, that caused all the fangirls to shut up. It was nothing but the the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Selphie had styled Hayner in a pair of beige chinos, an olive green dress 3/4 sleeve polo and a black double-breasted blazer to top.

"Th-thank you," He bobbed his head formally, "You too." Olette was lovely as usual, sporting a summery orange maxi dress while her hair was tied in one braid instead of two.

Axel pretended to smile for the cameras while uttering through gritted teeth, "Where the_ hell_ are Sora and Kairi? This is such bad publicity for our band! To show up without the lead singer? It's embarassing!"

_He's right... where are they? They'll be the last to arrive..._ Roxas bit his lip while checking his watch.

"Don't worry, Roxas." Said Namine who clung onto him for dear life, "They'll make it. I know they will. They always find a way in the end."

"But Nams, they're almost half an hour la-"

As if it were planned to stop Roxas' worrying, a cherry red Ultima motorcycle pulled into the start of the rather long carpet. The tires screeched as the driver performed a 360 degree turn to stop the vehicle. With the snap of his fingers, the rumbling engine came to a hault and the driver and his companion removed their helmets in a dramatic fashion.

"Sorry we're late," Said Sora with a wink, "We were kind of... busy."

All the attention that was focused on the celebrities on the red carpet then averted onto the island's top pairing. Axel suddenly regretted having Sora's presence around. He no longer had the attention that he loved oh so much.

Among all the flashing cameras and reporters, Kairi whacked Sora in the head with her helmet, "You make it sound like we were making out or something!"

"Honey, don't reveal that in front of the cameras!" The brunet teased while placing an arm over her shoulders.

While Kairi attempted to reason the truth with the crowd, Sora sensed her frustration and calmed them down, "I'm just joking! We weren't making out or anything! Miss Kairi here got sick and I took care of her. That's the real story." Reporters let out an 'aww' while photographers continued to take pictures here and there.

"Thank you, Sora." The sweet smile she gave him showed that her words had a double meaning to them. After hearing the poison story on the way, she couldn't help but feel giddy towards him. As they both unboarded the cycle, a parking valet went to take care of it.

"Shall we?" He offered his arm out to Kairi who clung onto it just as Namine did with Roxas. It wasn't as intimate as intertwining hands, so Kairi found the gesture reasonable. Just as they were about to join their friends, Sora looked as if a light bulb lit up above his head. "Oh! Before I forget," He reached into his pocket and placed a corsage with a white rose on Kairi's wrist, "As a member of the tango, I believe I'm supposed to give this to you, Ms. Lovelock."

"Thank you, Mr. Hikari." Kairi attemped to hide her flattered blush but failed miserably.

"You know," He whispered in her ear, "White roses symbolize many meanings. I believe one of them is 'I am worthy of you', and the other is 'Heavenly'. I hope you consider me as worthy of you now, Kairi." She lost her breath when he said that, "And might I say you look heavenly this evening?"

"I-if you're _still_ trying to make me forget about earlier, it's still not working." Her form of teasing came out more nervous than wanted. How could this guy go from being such an immature jokester to being the most romantic guy in the galaxy?

"Hey, you two," Hayner pointed at the fancy clock above the gate that read 7:59pm, "You look gorgeous and all, but we really should get going." As the clock struck 8, everyone at the entrance began to make their way into the actual party. Bodyguards immediately blocked the area for any party crashers. After all, it was the biggest party on the island.

"That wasn't flashy at all, Sora." Roxas teased his brother by reliving a certain moment. Hint: photoshoot.

"That_ is_ why you bought me the motorcycle, isn't it?" Sora winked as he walked past the gate with Kairi under his arm. Roxas watched him walk away with sad eyes, his lips forming a straight line.

"Aww," Axel came by to give his best friend a pat on the back while holding hands with Larxene, "Thinking about the day you two were separated? Don't worry, we're here for you."

"No, it's not that," Roxas sniffled, "I made a bet with Sora earlier, and I think he won. He _does_ look sexier than me!"

* * *

If someone were to read every teenager's mind in the castle, they would get the exact same response; was there anything that Solice _couldn't_ afford?

Really, he went all out. The instant anyone stepped past the gate, fear would overtake them. Everything around them was worth _at least_ a million bucks, and if they dared to even _touch_ something and ruin it, they were doomed. And that was only the hallway.

Once anyone reached the ballroom, they were paralyzed. Not only was it_ HUGE_, but everything looked like a dream. It was more modern and party-like than the hallway, but it was no doubt more expensive. Fountains and ice sculptures carved to perfection were placed here and there. About four transluscent curtains on each side flowed down in a triangular fashion to cover a few couches and tables. Even more tables (made of pure adamantite) surrounded the sides. A bar was located in the very corner by the exit. In the center was the virtual dance floor. Each tile was capable of changing designs, and at the current moment, they all took the form of a hardwood floor. Atop that was the galaxy's largest disco ball. Since it was in the disney castle, it was modelled after the head of Mickey Mouse. And not only that, but the tiles on the ceiling could change form, too. They took the form of a starry night sky while smoke machines emitted smoke to create clouds.

Also in the center, right in front of the dance floor were elevated platforms that had seats reserved for the Strife family as well as the members of the Infractus Tango. Each member of the tango had their own holographic banner with their picture on it, reserving their seat. Olette really wasn't kidding when she said that they'd be treated like royalty.

And last but not least, illuminating the dream were bright spotlights controlled by the DJ who was located on a balcony atop the ballroom. Solice really was amazing. He managed to create the teenage dream while maintaining class.

"Wow, this makes Hogwarts look like shiz." While pulling out Kairi's chair, Sora stared at the fake sky in awe. Roxas and Namine were seated to their left, Hope and Lightning to their right. Tidus and Yuna were elevated a little higher than they were behind them. The remainder of the Hikari household was nowhere to be found from their position.

Then after what seemed like forever, security managed to calm the teens down to listen to Solice's opening speech, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to welcome you all to the third anniversary of Kingdom Hearts Resort!" The crowd roared and applauded, "For three years now this island has had high success rights because of each and every one of you, so I would personally like to thank all of you for attending."

His speech continued on for about five more minutes and quite frankly, Sora didn't remember much of it. A large hologram in the center of the ballroom showed a video of how the resort was created and how Solice found the inspiration to create it.

Honestly, it was quite boring, but when it was over, Solice announced the best news possible, "And if you all check the program for this evening, you'll find that dinner is next. So without further ado, dinner is served!"

x

For once, Sora believed that something tasted more delicious than Kairi. Even Roxas thought the same about his beloved Namine. The multiple course meal was, as Axel put it, 'sex in the mouth'. Larxene did not find this humourus at all- mostly because her boyfriend was seated next to a certain redhead named Cinque.

At the fancy table, Hope groaned while patting his stomach, "I think my abs just deflated." His twin cousins just gave him the _'You had abs?'_ look.

Suddenly, Sora's eyes twinkled, "Oh my gosh, I think I'm in love."

Kairi sighed, "Sora, we're just fri-"

"I wasn't talking about you." Sora's previous smile grew wider as a waiter placed a rather artistic looking ice cream dessert before him, "I was talking about _that_." Kairi slammed her head down in embarassment.

"Wow, you bitch." Tidus chuckled from behind.

"Laugh all you want." Sora, not caring if he ruined the masterpiece, dug into his dessert, "Besides, I don't _think_ I'm in love with Kairi. I _know_ I am." Kairi thanked the heavens her head was slammed against the table. She didn't want the paparazzi catching her blush.

"Can you stop being cute on _my_ anniversary?" Roxas pleaded playfully, "I'm supposed to be the cheesy one!"

"Well you're not doing anything!" Sora negotiated through a chocolate filled mouth. While the twins argued, Kairi raised her head slowly to find Cloud in the middle of a lip lock with Tifa up front. Seeing that Cloud was Solice's brother, they were positioned in the center along with Zack and Aerith.

Kairi felt a pang in her chest. Even if he did offer her his services, it was still painful to watch. She was used and betrayed. The pain suddenly washed away when she felt a warm hand over her own under the table. Sora massaged it with his thumb and looked at her with pure eyes that told her that everything was going to be okay. Really, this boy was too nice for his own good. When he realized that things were getting to intimate and let go, his hand swiped her corsage.

_"I hope you consider me as worthy of you now, Kairi."_

_Shouldn't I be saying that to you, Sora?_

* * *

The nights festivities went by faster than expected. Every performance was already finished, and that included The Oathkeeper's unforgettable number with the Gullwings. Together the two bands performed Enchanted's _'True Love's Kiss'_ (each musical performance was supposed to be a tribute to Disney)with Roxas as Princess Giselle (the crowd seriously started to believe that Roxas was a transvestite after that) and Tidus as Prince Edward. The remaining members (yes, this actually included Riku and Paine) were dressed as Giselle's animal friends who sung and danced around the stage.

To the naked eye, there was no stage. Well really, there wasn't. That is, until a large, circular platform emerged from the dance floor. The platform was lowered back into the ground when the final performance was well under way. The best performance was obviously saved for last.

The infamous Infractus Tango.

Behind the ballroom doors, all eighteen members of the tango formed a straight line with their partners beside them. Each female was currently trying to help each fumbling male with their black eye masks. As for the girls, they were perfectly capable of putting their lacey masks on by themselves.

"Ready?" Asked a very nervous Sora who was fumbling with his gloves.

"Are _you_?" Kairi could feel him tensing up and giggled at his attempt to sound brave.

From behind the unbelievably large mahogany doors, Solice's voice boomed across the entire ballroom, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honour that I present to you our final performance for this evening... The Infractus Tango!"

When the doors opened, wind rushed into all eighteen members. Not only because of the cheering crowd, but also because of the incredibly loud sound of intense violins and a very low bass. Jazmine Sullivan's _Bust Your Windows_ not only echoed throughout the entire castle, but probably the entire island. That was no hyperbole- it was seriously_ that_ loud. The first couple, which happened to be Cloud and Tifa, walked forward with their hands intertwined and turned their heads to the beat with great precision and timing.

"I have to be ready." Sora pulled on his golden tie and gulped. After the third couple, Zack and Aerith, they were next. And when their time came, the ex-couple looked at each other intently before walking down the aisle to the dance floor. Sora brought both their hands up to level with their shoulders and turned his head when needed in synchronization with Kairi and the beat. They did this so incredibly well that it made Cloud and Tifa look pathetic. Roxas and Namine (although a little figety), of course, tied with Sora and Kairi.

The dance proceeded flawlessly after that. Each male stomped to beat when required and girls really gave it their all. Even from behind the golden mask, Sora could see Kairi watching Cloud from the corner of her eye. It pained him to see her expression sadden. He wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be fine, but he realized that they had come to the part in the routine where they switched partners. Sora ended up with Yuna while Kairi (ironically) was with Cloud. Her mood immediately dropped after coming in contact with him. The heir immediately noticed that Kairi was hurting under that mask.

"You see you can't just play with people's feelings," She mouthed the words along with the song with a frown, "Tell them you love them, and don't mean it." Then when it was time to switch partners again, Roxas quickly kneed Cloud in the balls before returning to Namine. Sora high-fived his brother while returning to Kairi. The Hikari household and fangirls applauded the gesture from afar. Somehow, Cloud managed to mask the pain when he returned to Tifa.

When Kairi returned into Sora's arms for the chorus, her mood shot up remarkably after he wiped the tear that fell from her eye. This one boy had such an unbelievable impact on her. Overwhelming happiness took over her as he lifted her into the air although she didn't show it. The whole time he looked her straight in the eye and nowhere else. Kairi couldn't tear her eyes off him, either. Even when veiled by a mask, Kairi could recognize those blue eyes anywhere. They only belonged to Sora. Those eyes alone already meant a lot to her. Out of all the eyes in the galaxy, she was so incredibly thankful that she was looking into his comforting eyes. And the way he appreciated her body while dancing was just... Kairi. As Sora put it, _Kairi_ was to be too beautifully unexplainable. Every touch sent shockwaves throughout her whole body. Gravity wasn't the only thing holding them down anymore.

Then, without warning, the dance was already finished.

_**"PARTY ROCKERS IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT! EVERYBODY JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME! AND WE GON' MAKE YOU LOSE YOUR MIND! WE JUST WANNA SEE YOU... SHAKE THAT! ... EVERYDAY I'M SHUFFLIN'!"**_

"You were amazing, Namine." Complimented Roxas.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you!" His girlfriend yelled through the music. After the tango, the program said that the teens could party and dance to their heart's content. Poor Namine was starting to get frightened by the music. Roxas offered to take her home where they could spend the last few hours of their anniversary together. She obviously agreed to those terms, leaving Riku and Xion alone at the table they currently left.

Riku, though he didn't seem like the type, fought the urge to ask Xion to dance. _Slow_ dance. She looked incredibly lovely, but he figured that one simple dance could ruin their friendship. She might've thought that it was too much. Plus, she _did_ like Roxas. Unless, he thought she did...

_He looks incredible..._ Xion stole a glance at her best friend from the corner of her eye when she thought he wasn't looking. Out of all the people on the dance floor, she only wanted this one to ask her. She wanted to know what it felt like, dancing with Riku... but he wouldn't. Doing that was so off-character. While she daydreamed, Xion hadn't even noticed that Selphie had pulled her best friend away.

"What's wrong with you?" Selphie slapped his arm, "Ask her to dance!" Since Selphie's voice was naturally loud, she didn't need to exert herself and yell.

"And get rejected? No thanks." Riku retorted.

"You really think she'd reject you?" Selphie rubbed her nails against her shoulder while smirking, "If you haven't noticed, I've done an incredible job with you." Selphie's eyes dwindled onto a certain table where tons of girls sighed lovingly in Riku's direction. Judging by their expressions, they were probably thinking, _"Ooh, he looks so hot and mysterious! I'd do him any day!"_

"They're not her."

"Riku, love requires taking chances." She pushed him in Xion's direction, "You've only got a few weeks left before you return to your life in Twilight Town. You're in one of the most famous islands in the galaxy, in the largest party ever, and you can't even ask her to dance? You have your chance. I suggest you take it!"

Riku suddenly found himself back in his house in Twilight Town with his parents hovering over him. Just as they were about to hit him, Xion stood far in the distance, illuminating the darkness with the bright smile on her face. When he blinked, he snapped back into reality. Far in the distance was still Xion, but sitting at a table all alone. His parents were no longer there to stop him. No one was there to stop him. It was so easy.

What could this one dance do but give him overwhelming happiness? Things would be worse enough back in Twilight Town, and if he didn't take this one chance to dance with her, chances were he'd never get the chance again and regret it his whole life. He had to do it.

As a mere coincidence, a slow song began playing when Riku made his decision. Each step he took towards her made his heart race even faster. But eventually, he found himself hovering over her, lending his hand out.

Then, as if he weren't in control of his own voice, he bowed and asked formally, "May I have this dance, Xion?"

She was at a loss for words, more so than when Sora saw Kairi earlier. Xion constantly had to keep asking herself if this was real. When she took his hand, it was confirmed.

_Riku_ asked her to _dance_.

Much to her surprise, Riku brought their hands up on one side and kept his other behind her back. Her hand found its way to his shoulder. At first they weren't really moving, but when the music accelerated, Riku began to lead her around the dancefloor smoothly just as many males did with their partners. Xion was beginning to doubt whether she was in reality or not- Riku could _dance_?

_So close to reaching that famous happy ending_  
_Almost believing that this one's not pretend_  
_And now you're beside me, and look how far we've come_  
_So far, we are, so close_

Riku could die that very moment. His life was complete. The instant Xion held his hand, he wanted to scream in a higher pitch than Selphie. This one dance made his life. He had never held her so close before. For once, he actually believed that there was a chance that Xion liked _him_ and not the Hikari twins.

_W-what is this?_ Xion thought frantically as he spun her around. A new feeling came over her as she placed her hand on his well built chest. Riku was a good head taller than her, so she had to look up to look straight into those captivating eyes. She was starting to think they were better than Sora and Roxas'.

_Oh my goodness..._ Xion looked away with a blush. She felt _nervous_. She _actually_ felt nervous around _Riku_! They were normally comfortable around each other, being best friends and all, but right now, in such close proximity, he was making her feel nervous.

As the song faded, Riku did the unimaginable. He traced Xion's jawline and looked her straight in the eye. She had _never_ felt the way she did right then. And when he turned his head a bit to the left, she knew it. She knew it_ right_ then.

She liked Riku.

She liked Riku the same way Sora liked Kairi, the same way Roxas liked Namine, the same way Hayner liked... well she couldn't choose between Modern Warfare and Olette. So really, she loved him. He was_ always_ there for her. He _never_ gave up on her. She was totally blind to this affection until now. Not saying that appearance was everything, but when Riku changed, he became easier to read. And_ much_ harder to resist. So when he leaned in, she closed her eyes and-

"THAT'S IT!" Larxene's furious voice boomed across the entire ballroom. The DJ scratched the turntable and stopped the music. Everyone in the ballroom averted their attention onto the center of the dance floor where Larxene and Axel were in the middle of an argument.

"Larxene, everyone's watching, we can discuss this later." Axel placed his hands in front of his chest defensively.

"Stop trying to run from me, Axel! You've been running from girls your whole life!" Tears were already streaming down her face as she broke down. Sora, Selphie and Kairi pushed through the crowd and ran in between the couple.

"What's going on?" Sora asked while the girls began comforting Larxene.

"Do I have to be blunt about this?" Larxene choked, "I tried being nice about it... I tried telling myself otherwise... but I guess it's true... you _are_ cheating on me Axel. This whole night you've been with _her!_" The crowd gasped when she pointed at Cinque.

"Larxene-" He was cut short by her yelling.

"Do you think I'm_ blind_? ! I know you've been with her a lot, okay? ! You're the drummer of The Oathkeepers for crying out loud!" She hugged herself and cried softly, "I should've known you'd do this to me... I was so stupid to think that you'd actually commit to a girl... I'm just another girl in your collection..."

Since Axel was defenseless, Sora butted in, "Larxene, you don't understand-"

"Stay out of this, twerp!" She screeched.

"Larxene, I'm not... I wouldn't... I'm not cheating on you, okay?" Axel's voice was so soft and reassuring that no one could recognize it being his. It also sounded broken.

"Then what _are_ you doing?" She continued to sob.

"I..." He gave Cinque a look and she shook her head. The ring wasn't ready. He couldn't tell her. Not now. "I... can't tell you."

The air suddenly grew eerie, "All right then. I'd just like remind you, Axel, that I happen to be pregnant. With _your_ child. And if you can't appreciate the blood, sweat and tears I'm going through everyday, then I guess..."

"Don't." The crowd held their breath as a tear fell from Axel's eye, "Larxene, please don't."

"No, you brought this upon yourself. You've crossed the line." With a heavy sigh, Larxene uttered the words that Axel _really_ didn't want to hear, "That's it, Axel Oryxine. We're through." The crowd and paparazzi went wild as Larxene stormed out of the ballroom and into the night. Axel didn't bother running after seeing that she's probably just beat his face in anyway. So he fell on his knees and let tears fall freely from his face.

From the tables afar, Aqua told Pence, "This is bad. We have to try an fix things before they get worse."

"No," Said Ven from behind a pillar. He leaned against it and watched the chaos with his arms crossed. He had no intention of butting in or being close to Aqua for the matter, "I have a feeling that... this is only the beginning."

* * *

**Hikari Household**

"Have I ever told you that I love you?" As Roxas lay on Namine's lap, he stroked her cheek affectionately. The couple sat on the edge of the beach in the backyard, lying comfortably on a beach towel while enjoying the soft breeze of the night.

She giggled while massaging his scalp, "Yes, you have. Numerous times."

"Well I do. _A lot_." With that, Roxas pulled his girlfriend into a blissful kiss, "And I always will."

Namine pecked his lips again, "Thank you for bringing me here, Roxas. To this island. It's really changed me."

"No problem." He stretched and yawned before relaxing into her lap more.

Namine patted his cheek, "Are you sleepy?"

"No." He denied and began to doze off. Namine grinned and played with his hair even more. He looked so inspiring under the moonlight. She could hardly believe that this sweet, talented young man was all hers.

"Roxas." She felt him shudder as she whispered his name.

"Yes, angel?"

"If you don't mind... can I go back in the house and get my sketchbook? You look so adorable right now and I'm so tempted to capture this moment."

"Of course. Do whatever you want, sweetie."

Namine squealed and kissed him quickly before she carefully removed his head from her lap, "Will you miss me?"

Roxas chuckled at her attempt to tease him, "No. I'll see you in my dreams, anyway." _Beat that, bro._

With another giggle, Namine skipped off into the beach house where she met up with the remainder of the household. Sora, who happened to have Kairi fast asleep over his shoulder, just shut the door and locked it.

"Did you just get back now?" She asked in disbelief. It was already two-thirty in the morning. Sora nodded his head to which Namine grinned, "I take it you two had fun?" She wriggled her brows at the unconcious Kairi he was carrying.

"She had _too_ much fun," Sora chuckled while patting her back, "We danced for what seemed like hours, but..." Everyone grew silent as Axel collapsed on the couch with smeared green teardrops on his face. "Things didn't go so well after the dancing." Sora explained the Larxene situation to Namine and the instant Sora was finished, Namine ran outside to tell Roxas.

And she really wish she hadn't.

Right there, where she was previously positioned, was Xion. Though she could only make out a silhouette figure against the moon, she knew it was her. She could tell by the short, stylish hair and the rather slender body. And in one swift movement, Xion leaned down and kissed _her_ Roxas.

And Roxas didn't even move.

x

"Well executed, Fuujin."

* * *

**Twilight Town [ Mental Asylum, Floor 3 ]**

"She's right down the right hall. Room 314. She's only been here for a week or two, so she really doesn't talk much. From what we can gather, she's got a low level of agoraphobia. She's scared of the outdoors, so try to take her out some time. I'm not trying to scare you or anything. I know it's your first day and you seem a little nervous. Don't worry. Just look as sweet and non-threatening as possible. I'm sure you'll be very good at that since you look so innocent, Roxas."

"Thank you, Mrs. Oryxine." Said a sixteen-year-old Roxas. He couldn't help but deny his best friend's mother's statement. She had called Roxas_ innocent_. It seemed like a sick joke when he and Axel had thrown eggs at a sea-salt ice cream store just to sneak in and get ice cream for free the day before. He chuckled at the memory and hoped Cendia didn't catch it from behind the counter.

"Good luck." She tossed her short yet perfectly straight red hair and began to type away on her computer. Natural red hair must have been a heredity in Axel's family.

"Room 314." Roxas took a deep breath as he walked down the hall. It was then that he noticed that everything in the building was white. It looked modern, but dull. White was dull- he never liked the colour.

As he heard his own footsteps approach the last room in the right hall, his heart raced. Roxas signed up as a volunteer at the asylum to get volunteer hours for school. Without them, he wouldn't get his diploma. But the point at hand was that he was _extremely nervous_. This girl had a condition, didn't she? What if she didn't like him? What if, give or take, she was more dangerous than Axel himself?

His thoughts stopped when he reached the white door that read 314.

"Here we go." He said with a sigh. The knocks he placed on the door were just as loud as his heartbeat ringing in his ears.

"Come in." Commanded a weary voice.

Roxas typed in the code he was given earlier on the door and it slid to the side to reveal yet another room devoured in white. The layout of the room was pretty simple. Medium sized, square shaped. A white window covered in white curtains on the far side. White bed with white bed sheets in the corner. White plasma screen on the left. White bookshelves and workdesk in the corner opposite to the bed. White laptop on the workdesk. White closet in the corner. White door leading to (Roxas guessed) a white bathroom. It didn't look like a prison, but it sure felt like it. The only things that weren't white were the drawings taped onto the wall. Only they brought life to the room.

And eventually the girl, too.

She was curled into a ball in the corner to his left. She must've liked white, seeing that she wore her own clothes and decided to wear a white sundress. Her hair was blonde like his, but a few shades lighter and cascaded down her slender shoulders. But what surprised Roxas the most was her face. Although it wore a sad expression, there was absolutely nothing wrong about it. No flaws. Even at school he had never seen a girl look like that before.

She was _really_ pretty. She kinda even had the same features as his brother's ex-girlfriend. _Kairi_, he thought her name was.

Her skin was as white as snow and her eyes were clear as day. A sad, pale day. He could see so much sadness in her eyes, which was a shame, really. They must have looked as blue as his when filled with happiness.

"S'cuse me," She said in a barely audible whisper, "You've been staring at me for five minutes. I-It's getting uncomfortable."

"S-Sorry!" Roxas yelled frantically before placing a hand over his mouth. _I was just taken aback by your beauty is all_.

She went back to hugging her knees and looking down. Roxas bit his lip in anxiety. He had no idea what to do.

"What are you doing here?" She mumbled.

He felt stupid for not answering that the instant he walked in. He facepalmed himself,_ Of course. Introduce yourself, idiot_. "My name's Roxas. Roxas Aethon. I'm a volunteer here for the summer. I'll be here everyday and... well, I'm supposed to help make you smile..." _Would she get offended if I tell her I'd help cure her?_ "-and take care of you."

She remained silent and unmoving. Cendia really wasn't kidding when she said this girl didn't talk much. None of the therapists even got her name yet.

"What's your name?" He then decided to ask. Her head slowly rose to look at his. Both of them felt something, but they had no idea what it was. It felt like... a connection. The girl had never felt that way with any of the therapists before. She had never felt that way about anyone before. And she had never seen eyes bluer than the blue she used to draw a sky, a face so kind, a boy so cute...

She hid her head between her legs again so he wouldn't catch her blush. Her ears perked up when she heard him chuckle. The air suddenly grew warm when he laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm nervous, too." He admitted. When she looked up, she saw that he was telling the truth. He had the same pink tint on his cheeks while he scratched the back of his perfectly messy blond hair.

The asylum made a good decision choosing this boy for her. He looked around her age, if not older. He had such a non-threatening face and a sweet voice. His clothes also seemed promising. A simple beige v-neck shirt, skinny jeans and checkered vans couldn't hurt anyone. No piercings. No tattoos. Yes, she could like this guy. Well, appearance wise so far. He looked like the type to be the most popular guy in school, so she was still dwindling on his personality.

"Did you draw these?" He asked as he hunched over to admire her drawings. She meekly nodded. He gave her the brightest smile that revealed the most perfect teeth she had ever seen, "They're amazing. You're very talented, um..."

Scratch that. This guy was cute inside and out. "N-Namine... my name is Namine..."

_Namine,_ Roxas' heart fluttered. _Such a unique and beautiful name for such a unique and beautiful girl._

x

"Hey." Greeted Roxas as he hopped into Axel's car. The pyromaniac offered to pick him up and take him out for some lunch that same day. Axel wouldn't dare pay, so Roxas figured he'd be the one to buy both their lunches seeing as he was the one with the new rich daddy.

"You look awfully chipper this afternoon." Axel commented as he stepped on the pedal.

As they sped through the sunset painted streets of Twilight Town, Roxas cocked his head to the side, "What do you mean?"

Axel flipped down the car mirror of the passenger seat, "Are you not aware of that huge smile on your face? What's with you? I'd say your in love, but the fact that you just came out of a mental hospital doesn't help."

"What's wrong with falling in love in a mental hospital?"

"Oh my _gosh_," Axel immediately hit the breaks in the middle of the road. Luckily civilians rarely took that path. "You're in love with a freak aren't you?"

"You're so rude, Axel." Roxas puffed his cheeks and mumbled, "And she's not a freak. Her name is Namine and she's... cute."

He slammed his palms onto the steering wheel with a laugh, "You're chopping on a girl who lives in an asylum? Wheels, Roxie. _Wheels_. I can't believe your first girlfriend could actually be someone with a mental illness!"

"Stop teasing, Axel! You're being_ so_ disrespectful right now!" The redhead earned himself a smack in the head, "She's a nice girl! I'm not trying to, as you put it-" Roxas made air quotes, "-_chop_ her. She just..._ interests_ me!"

The car began moving again and, regardless of how impulsive he knew his best friend would get, he confirmed, "Yup, you're chopping a freak."

"Axel!" Roxas whined and lowered his flailing hands in surrender; seriously, did Axel not hear anything he just said?, "You know what, we're dropping the subject. What do you want to eat? I'm in the mood for either Thai or Chinese."

"Forget the fancy asian stuff, Rox. I say we egg another store and get us some free sea-salt ice cream!"

**"I was afraid. I was always afraid. You tried to change that."**

As weeks went by, Roxas learned that Namine had a better sense of normality than he thought. She was just a normal teenager who never got to see the light. Well, actually, normal was the understatement of the century. Namine wasn't just normal; for someone confined for majority of their life, she was extraordinary.

Not only was she the cutest girl he had ever met, but she was also an exceptional artist and shared his interests on the internet, which she received from the laptop the asylum provided her with. It was her only connection to the outside world, other than Roxas. They found the same videos humorous- in fact, they had a similar sense of humour which made their friendship grow rather fast since they always had something to talk about. They enjoyed the same books, the same food, the same movies and, this drove Roxas _wild_, the same music. Well, minus the hardcore stuff. Other than that, she appreciated it well for his standards.

Everytime he brought in his acoustic guitar to sing her a song, her eyes twinkled. Roxas was right from the start; if Namine's eyes were to be filled with happiness, they would glow brighter than his own.

"Can you sing another one, Roxas?" She was so accustomed to using his name by then, "In Italian, maybe?" The two sat on her bed with both their legs crossed for comfort.

"You like it when I sing in my second language, don't you?" He chuckled while placing the capo on the third fret of his guitar.

"If I didn't like it, I wouldn't tell you to sing it, would I?"

_Doofus_. Roxas mentally smacked himself in the head for not noticing the obvious. Then, after clearing his throat, he complied to Namine's request. From the corner of his eyes he could see her smile brighten up the entire room. He loved that smile oh so much.

Namine watched Roxas in awe. His voice had a rather attractive accent when he sang or even spoke Italian. In fact, Roxas was rather attractive in general. She had learned so much about him and gotten so close to him in the last month.

He was half-italian and japanese, he had a twin brother named Sora who lived in Palumpolum, his parents were divorced, he lived with his mother named Aeris, he had an extremely wealthy stepfather, he and his best friend Axel were in a band called The Oathkeepers, he attended Twilight Academy and was a straight A student, he was the captain of the volleyball, soccer _and_ blitzball team and he was an exceptional musician that was blessed with an angelic voice and heavenly guitar and piano skills.

And of course he was gorgeous, but that was already given. She was right about him being the popular type, but what she didn't see coming was his golden personality. While he could be out with his friends over the summer, he came to see her. _Everyday_. Even when his volunteer hours had been fulfilled he still came to spend time with her.

"Nami?"

Her cheeks flushed remembering that they were already on a nickname basis, "Yes, Rox?"

"You okay? You look lost." He gave her a look of worry before packing his guitar in his case.

"No, I'm fine," She focused on the guitar, "Y-you're leaving? B-but it's only noon-"

"I'm not leaving, dont worry." He crossed his arms and smirked in flattery. She really didn't want him to leave. In fact, earlier that day, Cendia had told him that Namine wouldn't stop talking about him with the therapists and psychiatrists. Their sessions mostly consisted of _'Roxas this, Roxas that'_. She also told him of her dark past, but he didn't want to badger Namine on the subject. His focus was to make her happy.

"Rox?" He could hardly make out the waving hand in front of his face, "You look lost now."

"Sorry," He shook his head and bit his lip, "N-Nami, are you hungry?" Her growling stomach caused him to chuckle, "I guess you are. Um..." As Roxas twiddled his thumbs, Namine giggled at how cute he was. "I've been planning this for awhile..." He took a deep breath, "I've never been this scared to ask something before, but..."

She had never seen him so troubled, "Roxas, are you okay?"

"Namine, go out with me!" He suddenly demanded. When she turned as red as a tomato, he realized the double meaning of his words, "N-no! Not like _that_! Uh, uh... not a date, no! NotthatI'dmind, but... gah, I'm babbling, sorry!" The way he acted when he was with her was totally unlike him. He showed her what everyone thought to be the less agressive, better side of him.

Although her face was hotter than lava at the moment, she still giggled at his nervous antics.

"What I mean is," He cleared his throat and regained his composure, "Will you go _outside_? O-outside the room. Outside the asylum. With... me..." Her giggling turned to silence, her red face turned pale. Roxas immediately saw this change and shook his head with vigor, "I-I'm so sorry, forget I ever asked that! That was _way_ too much! I'm so sorry Namine! I-I'll just leave-"

"For fifteen years, I've been confined..." She mumbled with balled fists and her bangs covering her eyes, "I've never been outside... I'd take one step, and... I'd just... no one would..."

When tears began to fall, Roxas clenched his chest in pain, "God, Namine, I'm so sorry. Just forget it."

"And here you are... trying to help me..." She looked at him with tear-stained eyes. For the first time, someone was trying to fix her, "Thank you, R-Roxas. I... I think I _will_ go outside." His head snapped up in shock. "Just promise me that... promise me that you won't leave me." He took her hand in his and squeezed it. Both blushes were evident on their faces at the intimate touch.

Roxas looked her in the eye with hard, determined eyes, "I won't _ever_ leave you. I promise that you'll be safe. You'll always be safe when you're with me."

**"Your eyes were ocean blue and as clear as the sky that day. Your eyes showed me freedom. _You_ showed me freedom."**

"I don't think I can do this." Namine said with a disdained look on her face. She quivered in fear even more and more as she approached the doors of the asylum.

"Namine, come on, a few more steps." Roxas offered her his hand for comfort. Without hesitation, she gripped his hand tightly. Slowly and shakily, Namine placed her white flats on the final step of the asylum. She gulped in fear.

"One more." Roxas tightened his grip to show her that she could trust him, "I won't let anything happen to you. Look, Namine, it's a _beautiful_ day outside!" Indeed, Roxas was right. Namine could practically taste the freedom. She just had to take one more step. One very small, yet hard step.

Without warning, she felt a pair of strong arms around her waist as Roxas lifted her onto the ground. She immediately screamed and lept back into the arms that once carried her. Then slowly and suddenly, she could see _everything_. Every colour, every detail. The smell, the taste, the look. It was all so new. The air was so refreshing. As an artist, she found it inspiring. But as a patient with a mental illness, it was a death trap.

"That's enough for today." Roxas carried her back into the asylum and into the elevator, "You've done _so_ well, Namine. That was a huge step you just took."

"A st-step that you h-helped me take." She placed her head on the crook of his neck to hide her flushed face, "Th-th-thank you, Roxas. I-I promise I'll t-try and go f-further next t-time." As the two boarded the elevator, Roxas' neck was tickled by Namine's uneasy breaths. It made his heart leap out of his chest and his mind go on a fritz. He tried his hardest to fight the blush on his face but failed miserably.

This girl in his arms... this _one_ girl tried to go outside _just_ for him. He felt like crying but his brain was too occupied with romantic thoughts to even think about anything. When the ding of the elevator was heard, Roxas snapped out of his trance. As he carried Namine to her room, Cendia raised her brows suggestively. Roxas' face then matched the colour of her hair as he carried Namine to her room.

Axel was wrong. Namine wasn't the freak, Roxas was. He was a freak for not realizing it sooner. He was freakishly in love with Namine and no part of his mind, body or soul could deny it any longer.

**"You showed me everything. Even how to feel emotion."**

By two weeks, Namine had made it to the Tram Common. Although, during the first few attempts to leave the asylum fully, she had a few panic attacks but Roxas managed to take care of her with a syringe Cendia packed for him. It would instantly make Namine unconcious, and really, he never wanted to see her in so much pain ever again.

Now, feeling more secure, she clung onto Roxas' arm desperately as he gave her a tour of the town and shops. Twilight Town was much more welcoming and inspiring than she saw it on the internet. She could hardly believe that she was scared of such a place. Everyone always looked so happy and the sun looked as if it were forever at the horizon.

"Here." She hadn't even noticed that they were in front of a shop when Roxas offered her some ice cream.

"Oh, how kind of you. What is it?" She gave the blue popsicle a questionable look.

He chuckled as he took a bite out of his own, "Sea-salt ice cream. It's a delicacy that Twilight Town is known for."

Curiously, she took a bite out of it and looked at it oddly afterwards, "It's salty, but... sweet."

"Takes awhile to get used to, I know." He then wiped his nose for no apparent reason and gave her a goofy smile, "It's good though, isn't it?"

"It is," She admitted while taking another bite, "Th-thank you, Roxas."

From afar, a shopkeeper and a beautiful brunette woman were talking to each other.

"Roxas Aethon," The shopkeeper said while keeping her eye on the blushing sunkist blond, "That's your boy, isn't it, Aeris?"

Roxas' mother nodded, "Yes. I believe the girl's name is Namine Emori. She's got agoraphobia, but Roxas just can't seem to stop talking about her."

"Oh? Taken an interst in her, has he?"

"I believe so. If he's willing to help cure her, then she must mean a lot to him. He visits her everyday and usually comes home late. It's without fail. I even have his best friend Axel whining at my door because he can't seem to find Roxas nowadays."

"How sweet. I like her. She's a good influence to him. Have you noticed the absence in egged stores lately?"

**One week later**

"Namine?"

When Roxas checked in at 10 in the evening, the sky was already pitch black but illuminated with inspirational fireworks. It was Twilight Town's anniversary and they usually celebrated the occasion with a spectacular display of colourful fireworks. He watched them earlier with Axel but decided to pay his crush a visit to see if she wanted to have a look at them, too.

He was wrong.

When he walked in, it was like when they first met. Namine was curled up in a ball in the corner with her hands pressed over her ears tightly. Her eyes were clasped shut and she shivered in terror as the sound of fireworks blasted from her window. Blast after blast she'd curl more into a ball.

"Namine!" He rushed to her side, "Are you okay?" She shook her head and kept her head down although she knew he was there.

"You're frightened," He stated the obvious and held her hand, "It's okay, it's okay... I'm here." His presence was so comforting that it almost made her forget why she was afraid. Then the blasting rung in her ears again.

_How could she be scared of something so beautiful?_ Roxas thought.

"So... loud..." She whimpered, gripping his hand tighter. The sunkist blond made an 'O' shape with his mouth and understood. She had probably never even seen fireworks before. The sound must have terrified her too much for her to even look out her window, which was a shame. If she saw them, he was pretty sure she'd paint them in an instant.

So the next day, he showed them to her.

"Roxas, what's that in your hand?" She asked behind her sketchbook.

"This," He set it down on her bed, "Is called an iPad 2. It's like a touch screen laptop."

"Interesting." Namine scurried over to her bed and examined it, "It's much thinner than mine. It must be very efficient."

"It is," He found her curiosity to be adorable, "Especially for what I'm about to show you. Namine, after last night, I discovered that you have a fear of fireworks, which really, I find sad. They're beautiful, and I'm sure if you saw them, you'd love to capture them in your sketchbook. So, without the frightening sounds, I'll show you the magic of fireworks."

She was silent as he began pondering through the 'iPad'. He pressed his finger on an app that turned the small screen pitch black. After that, he handed it over to Namine.

She looked puzzled, "What do I do?"

"Place your finger on the screen." He gestured with a nod. She complied, and when she did, colour emitted from where her finger was on the screen. Her eyes were full of amazement as she placed another finger on the other side, creating more colours. She gurgled in joy like a child as the colours illuminated her face. "This thing is amazing! Thank you, Roxas!"

Sometimes he wondered if Namine had caught his frequent blushes lately, "You're welcome." Then without thought, he too began playing with the iPad. Together they enjoyed the the magic they created not from the iPad, but from being together. This boy did so much for her and made her feel so secure, safe and happy. At first she just thought it was a measly summer love that she read about in the books, but maybe what she was feeling for him was much more than that.

**"You made me so strong. You changed me."**

_Where is he?_ Namine thought anxiously. All the time she'd known Roxas (which was about a month and a half), he would never miss a day to visit her. He showed up everyday without fail. Even if he had band practice or some other important business to attend to, he always found a way.

Three days already passed since he last saw her,

_Did I do something wrong?_ Her heart shattered, a feeling she hadn't felt since she'd met him, _Did he find out that I like him that way?_ She stuffed her head into her pillow, _Of course he did. He's probably freaked out by it and won't come back. You're stupid, Namine. Did you really think a popular boy like that would stay forever? It was just a dream, nothing more. He doesn't care about you._

She rose her head with a crestfallen expression to look at her bedside table. Right next to her alarm clock that read 6:35pm was a picture of her and Roxas at the Sandlot last week. He met up with his friends there, but he didn't abandon her. He promised to stay by her side and kept his word.

_No... he_ does _care about me..._ She took the picture in her hands, _Maybe not in that romantic sense, but he cares for me. Otherwise he wouldn't have gone through all this trouble to help me. Roxas isn't like that, Namine. He'll stay true to his word._ And that's when an idea struck her, _Something wrong must have happened._

Worry took over her the instant Cendia opened the door to bring her dinner, "Cendia!"

"Are you all right, Namine?" Axel's mother immediately brought out a syringe just in case.

Namine raised her hands up, "No, no! Do you know where Roxas is?"

"Oh," She set her tray down with a disdained look, "He's... I... I'm sure he'd told you about my son Axel, hasn't he?"

Namine's heart stopped- did something happen to his dear best friend? "Y-yes."

"As you know, Axel's father and I are separated. Axel left to live with his father in Radiant Garden to attend Radiant Garden University three days ago. He'll return in a few years after his education to work here, leaving Roxas behind. Poor boys have been friends since birth. To be separated like this must break their hearts."

_Be still my beating heart,_ Namine commanded. She had never met Axel (Roxas claimed he was too 'dangerous' and 'innapropriate' for her), but she knew well enough that he and Roxas were the best of friends. Roxas must have been moping somewhere while she just sat in her room doodling. After all he had done for her, she should have been there to comfort him. And she knew where he could find him, too. He gave her enough tours of the town to know. She didn't care if she had a condition or not. This was for Roxas.

"Cendia, if it isn't too much trouble... I need you to take me somewhere..."

**The Clock Tower**

_I'm almost there, Roxas... I'm almost there!_ Namine's balled fists paled the higher the elevator got. Roxas had taken her to the top numerous times, the first one obviously resulting in a panic attack due to the height. But after awhile she was able to get used to the view as long as she was in Roxas' arms.

_Ding!_

With a deep breath, Namine stepped out into the sunset, "Roxas?" She pasted herself against the wall as she frantically searched the ledges, "Roxas? ! ROXAS? !"

He was nowhere to be found. Suddenly the gusts of wind grew stronger as she was forced away from the wall and onto the ledge itself. Her scream was so loud that she was so sure that the entire town could hear it.

_I shouldn't have come here... he's not here... I... I'm going to die... I- !_

She could feel warmth returning to her body as she felt two familiar arms wrap around her from behind. Soon enough, she was spun around and her cheek came in contact with Roxas' firm chest. She could feel his tears hitting the top of her head as he shook in fear.

"Namine," He whimpered, "Y-you almost... Namine... wh-what are you doing here?"

She too began to cry from the near death experience, "S-sorry, I just h-had to c-come and look f-for you... I w-was so w-worried!"

He stroked her flaxen mane while whispering, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... it's okay, I'm here now. You're safe now, Namine."

"Thank you," She sobbed, "A-and I'm sorry a-about Axel..."

"That's all right," He said in a soothing whisper, "I'll see him again someday... I thought I wasn't going to see you ever again until I caught you. Thank you for coming all this way, Namine. Thank you so much... you have no idea how much this means to me..." _Or how much _you_ mean to me... I love you, Namine Emori._

**"You made me worth something."**

"Happy 17th birthday!"

"Namine," Roxas blushed as she presented a well-baked cake in front of him, "You didn't have to do all this..." Her entire room had balloons all over the place, the variety of colours reflecting off the walls.

"Are you kidding me? This is the day of your birth, Roxas! This is a very important day indeed! Now make a wish!" She pushed the cake forward. Rolling his eyes playfully, Roxas closed his eyes for a moment, made a wish and blew out his candles.

As Namine set the cake down on a table, Roxas asked, "You didn't make that did you? I wouldn't want you going through all the tr-"

"Cendia bought it."

"Ah."

"So what did you wish for?" She asked while pouncing next to him on her bed.

"I can't tell you!" He stuck his tongue out, "It won't come true!"

"All right, all right," Namine reached for something under her bed, and when she pulled what she needed out, Roxas was awestruck. It was a large canvas with a miraculous oil painting of him eating sea-salt ice cream at the clock tower while he watched the fireworks in the sky. Namine shyly hid in the corner with earmuffs over her ears while playing with the iPad which humoured Roxas a little.

"Happy birthday." She greeted again.

"Namine, that's..." He took the painting in his hands and stroked his hand across the paint. He could seriously_ feel_ the moment as he touched it, "This is amazing. You really know how to make a guy worth something." The feeling was mutual, "This is the best painting I've _ever_ seen. I'm going to keep this forever. You are... wow. You're the most amazing person I've ever met, Namine."

"The same goes to you, Roxas Hikari-Aethon." _Thank you for being born today. I don't know where I'd be if today didn't exist. If _you_ didn't exist._

**"You became the most important person in my life."**

"Namine, I love you!"

"Roxas..." Namine was breathless as the gusts of wind from atop the clock tower danced across her body. A week after Roxas' birthday, the two had sea-salt ice cream at the top of the clock tower at a rather late hour tp stargaze. The sun was already down, leaving the sky pitch black and filled with stars. Namine had a blanket over her, as did Roxas, but he was too occupied at the moment to use it.

"I love you, Avielle Namine Emori. I know we've only known each other for two months, but in those two months, I've fallen deeply in love with you. I love all of you. Your talents, your face, your soul, your... everything. The way your face flushes when you're nervous, the way you laugh when I tell a joke, the way you make me feel... I love it all. You've always been there for me and I want nothing for you but happiness. You showed me what all those love songs on the radio meant, you showed me what music and art meant, you showed me my life's purpose. I'm _really_ sorry if I sound super cheesy right now, but all of this is from my heart. You are_ so_ special to me. I... just wanted to let you know that..."

In the span of twenty seconds, Namine's life changed forever. Did he actually feel the same? This wasn't a joke, was it? No, it definately wasn't a joke. Roxas wouldn't joke about this kind of stuff. And the tears brimming on the edge of his eyes gave away his purity.

"S-sorry." He laughed heartily (Namine saw right through it and saw pain), "I just made things really awkward, didn't I? I-I'm so sorry Nami, forget I said tha-"

"Roxas," As she formed fists over her lap, her knuckles paled and shivered, "You... you mean that?" When he didn't hesitate to say yes, he could see droplets of water hitting her tiny hands.

"Nami-"

"I..." She sobbed, "I love you too, Roxas."

It wasn't long before the sunkist blond snapped out of his state of disbelief and started crying himself. He helped her up and immediately pulled the sobbing Namine into his strong, distinct chest. He stroked her flaxen coloured hair and wound his free hand around her waist to embrace her passionately. She responded by placing her arms around his shoulders and holding him close.

What happened next knocked the wind right out of her.

After admiring each other's beauty under the stars and moonlight, he leaned down and kissed her square on the lips. She really didn't know how to describe it although her eyes were wide open the whole time. His lips were _so_ soft against hers. She never thought that she'd _ever_ experience something this magical. She had never felt so safe and secure in her life.

"Namine, I promise that I'll always take care of you." He whispered to her golden locks, "You'll always be my one and only. I will never leave your side. I... Namine... can... I... may I have the extraordinary honour of being your boyfriend?"

Her heart stopped, "A-and I'll be your... g-girlfriend? Th-this is what you truly want? M-me? As your _g-girlfriend_?"

"Yes, if I'm your boyfriend, you'll be my girlfriend. That's generally how it works," He chuckled at her naivete, "And yes. I want this more than anything. As long as it makes you happy."

"That would make me _very_ happy," He felt her smile on his shoulder as she gripped him tighter, "Roxas Hikari-Aethon... I... I'm your girlfriend. And you're my... boyfriend." The titles rolled off her tongue perfectly. It was like it was meant to be that way. And things were going to be that day for a long while to come.

They both couldn't imagine a better day.

**"You understood and cared for me more than anyone else."**

"Hello girlfriend."

"Hi boyfriend."

In four months time, the two seemed to be following a procedure. After school, Roxas would visit her and leave at nighttime, on weekends, he'd stay the whole day and also leave at nighttime, he'd plop on her bed first thing and play the guitar (though sometimes he had to do his homework) and everyday he'd either bring lunch or dinner. It was a simple procedure, but Namine was so grateful that her boyfriend would do all that for her. And although everyday seemed similar, everything became a surprise when Roxas was around. Being his girlfriend made her feel so comfortable and, well, alive.

"How was school?" Namine asked casually while taking his backpack from him.

He pecked her on the cheek before plopping onto her bed, "Augh, so _boring_!"

As he babbled on about school, Namine inwardly squealed about how handsome she thought he looked in his uniform. It consisted of black dress pants, a button up long-sleeved dress shirt (much like his twin brother, he rolled them up to his elbows) and a double-breasted navy blue blazer that hugged his fit figure so well it was criminal. With a look that hot, Namine was so sure that billions of girls were ogling him from afar at Twilight Academy.

And yet, _she_ was his_ girlfriend_. And everyone around town knew it.

"Baby," She took this to be a frequently used substitution for her name, "I need to talk to you."

She sensed the air grow serious as she sat on his lap. He rested his head on her shoulder and whispered, "Do you like it here?"

Although distracted by the soft breaths he breathed on her neck, she whimpered, "What do you mean?"

"Do you like it here, in your room... uh, how should I put this," He nuzzled his head into her neck more, "How would feel if... if you moved out of the asylum?"

She pulled away slightly to look him in the eye, "Wh-what?"

"You deserve so much more than this, Nami." He pouted, "I don't like that you're confined here. It's like a prison, kind of."

Her heart stopped, "You're not just doing this because people think you're dating someone with a mental illness, are you?"

"What?" He frowned, "Of course not! What do you take me for? Nami, I'm just doing what's best for you."

"Sorry, I know you're not that kind of person. I apologize for assuming so." As he forgave her with a kiss on the cheek, she analyzed her room. It was beginning to look a little stuffy and dull. She liked white, but Roxas was right. When he wasn't around, it wasn't exactly as welcoming as the Twilight Town they knew so well.

"Where would I stay?" She asked.

"I'm glad you're taking this into consideration," His eyes sparkled, "It won't be far from here, I assure you. About a ten minute walk. I discussed this with Cendia and my family and without much thought, my aunt Cissnei is allowing you to live with her."

"_What_?" She choked.

"Namine, don't worry, she's_ really_ nice. Her house is even near mine. It's literally two minutes away. It's a cute townhouse with an inspirational view, Nami. She lives alone and would be delighted if you came to live with her. She's only 24. If it was possible, I'd let you live with me but with my mother, stepfather and my stepsiblings, it's kind of full..."

"That's fine, Roxas, but..." She stared at the ground, "Are you sure it's okay with your aunt? I can take the distance, but..."

"She'd be delighted, Namine." Roxas reassured, "And you know what? Aunt Cissnei has a cousin with agoraphobia so she'll know how to take care of you if you get scared. I'll be visiting everyday, too, just like I do now."

"Then I..." She sobbed joyfully onto his shoulder, "I'd love to, Roxas. Th-thank you. Thank you so much for _everything_."

"You're welcome! This is so great, Namine!" He picked her up and spun her around you, "I'll get the papers signed and help you move out and _everything_! I'm so happy right now- I don't know what else to say!"

"You don't need to say anything." And with that, she shushed him with her lips.

**"I mustered all of my strength to please you."**

_6 months later_

"Roxas, I don't know..." Namine eyed the two tickets that read _'Kingdom Hearts Resort'_ on the kitchen table with doubt.

While clutching a glass of water in his hand, her boyfriend pouted, "Aww come on, I know you can do it. You've been out of your house before- heck, you've been out of town before!"

"I don't think I can do this..." She liked her house. She liked his family. She liked her town. She'd grown so accustomed to it that she really didn't want to leave such a welcoming place.

"Tsk, tsk," Roxas waved a finger in her face, "Now what did we say about negative attitude? It won't help cure you."

His girlfriend sighed and looked at the tickets again, "I'm guessing you went through a lot for these tickets, but... I'm scared, Roxas. I've never been to another island before."

He stood up and walked behind her, pulling the back of her head to his chest, "You're with me, Namine. Nothing will happen to you. You're strong, Namine."

She pressed her head against his chest and looked up at him, "There will be alot of teenagers there..."

Roxas' eyes narrowed, "They will not touch you. I'm going to keep you safe, no matter what, and I've even rented out the largest beach house they have there. We have it all to ourselves. It's just a little vacation with the two of us."

Namine suddenly smirked. Them alone, together, in a beach house, some summer romance... it was paradise. "Well, maybe I could... try..."

Roxas grinned, "That's my girl." And with that being said, both leaned in for a soft, lingering kiss.

**"You built me walls only to break them down, Roxas. You betrayed me. You became what I feared most about the outdoors- _P A I N_."**

_Present Day, Hikari Household_

An awoken Kairi caught her cousin's wrist as she wobbled and cried up the staircase, "Namine, what's wrong? Are you all right? !"

"You were right from the beginning, Kairi!" Her screams probably woke up the whole street, "The Hikaris are just no-good, lying cheaters!"

Unable to say anything, Namine released herself from Kairi's grasp and ran up the spiral steps. Kairi was trapped in a sequence of time- what had Roxas done to hurt her fragile cousin this much? Roxas didn't seem like the type to do something harsh enough to make Namine go ballistic.

From the window, Riku was paralyzed as well.

"Riku?" Kairi whispered worriedly; she had a feeling Riku knew exactly what was going on.

"Xion and Roxas kissed." He answered bluntly while putting his hands in her pockets. Sora, who was seated on the couch, saw right through Riku's act. The emo-king was devestated beyond belief. Namine was bawling her eyes out. Axel was crying in his sleep. Kairi was about to go mad. Xion was gonna get one hell of a lecture. Roxas was going to get killed.

It was going to be one long day.

**In the next chapter:**

_"Roxas, why are you BALD?"_

_"Can you and Sora babysit Luna for a bit?"_

_"Cause when I'm with him, I'm thinking of you."_

_"I'm such a failure! I can't do anything right! This is all my fault!"_

_"There's more to this than meets the eye."_

_"Funny how the ones who destroyed us can be our only hope to fix everything."_

* * *

**Longest. Chapter. EVER. It took me longer than I thought to finish this (insert annoyed face here). And I swear this will be the last time I ever switch up the 'in the next chapter' lines. This chapter went on longer than I thought because of the RokuNami past fluff. I hope you guys enjoyed that :) It just had to be a big segment. I love RokuNami plus Roxas IS the main character's brother. He needs more love. And trust me, the next chapter won't be as sad as this one. In fact it's got more hope in it :) No, not Estheim. I actually mean hope.**

**So yeah. My cousins from Maryland are here- I'll be leaving with them to Maryland in a few days :) OH. HERE WE GO. OKAY. THIS IS IMPORTANT. My cousin (the awesome amazing one from Maryland) is planning on making her own account here on fanfiction and wants to know if you guys will read her story. I want to encourage her more so please support her by saying that you'll read her story! I know most of you will read it anyway :D ! Trust me, I've seen the plot, it's hilarious and cute :)**

**So considering the length of this chapter, I can't reply to you reviews or the word count will go on an overload or something :( But if you really want to talk to me about something, don't hesitate to send me a message :D I'll reply to them next time, I promise. As for now, I'll thank you for the wonderful reviews :)**

**Special thanks to: **Hearts in the Twilight, Fuline Lite, xLycheeRAiN, Wildfire37, Suzumiya Haruka, Noobster, AnimeGurl0130, candyland798, Artism, spellbound aka soragirl4ever, ohPoohx, Draco Oblivion, Sunset of Eternity, Dusk-Sky, Sergant you DriPRED, LittleKeybladeNinja, DreamStation369, sunshinemeg82, Randoreader, Lupus7, MusicalSage, Spazz Kadet, inspirexx, Moon Princess016, estella, Q-A The Authoress, Tyjet Ansatsu, The Traveler, CupcakeLerman, SoralikesMudkipz, super mario 675, One sky One dream One destiny, EternallySky, DragoNik, ShadowSpooky, Lala, Rytex, DestinyKeyblader28, Phenomenon45, beckster411

**Thank you all so much for reviewing :) And thank you to those who are reading and supporting the story :D As I always say, this story is dedicated to all of you. I'm sorry for any grammar errors, thank you for the love and support, please review and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next one's coming up soon! Stay tuned!**

**xoKyorii**


	27. Worth A Try

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the following songs: Come Back To Me- Utada Hikaru, Thinking of You- Katy Perry, 1000 Words- Sweetbox, Who You Are- Jessie J

**A/N:** I'm sorry if I'm putting this person on the spot, but are any of you named Shelby? I think you tried to add me on facebook and I wanted to make sure you were from fanfiction before I added you :/

* * *

. **Chapter XXVII .**

_**. Worth A Try .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"As they say; the show must go on!"_

She overreacted.

That was the first thought that came to Namine's mind. She wanted to take back what she said about the Hikari twins. She was probably too caught up in the moment to realize what she was saying. Who knew she had the potential to be so dramatic? Sure, Roxas and Xion shared a kiss (the most heartbreaking kiss in her opinion), but there _had_ to be a story behind it. She knew Roxas better than that. She had more faith in him than that. He had been completely faithful and loving for a year. He had always been so nice and only cared for her happiness.

He wouldn't suddenly do something like that, right? It just wasn't a Roxas Aethon thing to do.

The broken artist dwindled on this fact while laying on her bed and staring up at the ceiling of her room. Unlike the others, her ceiling was painted in the image of the bluest sky with various shaped clouds. The sky always reminded her of _him_ who, by the way, was not laying next to her. She had to admit- the bed felt rock hard without his presence. Even with the scent of his cologne still lingering on her snow-like pillows, it didn't feel the same. She couldn't even feel the warmth of the sun seeping through the blinds. It was like she was in the asylum all over again.

A muffled voice by the door distracted Namine from her thoughts. Kairi came walking in with her cellphone pressed against her left ear and, by the looks of it, things were going in her favour.

"So it's finished?" She asked. Namine could only make out bits and pieces of a female voice speaking on the other line as Kairi occassionally nodded, "Oh, thank you. Thank you _so_ much. You don't know how much that means to me. Mhmm, yeah. I'll pick it up later. Thanks again." When her cousin ended the call, Kairi's face went from being rejoiceful to how it looked last night when Namine stormed up the staircase- worried and scared.

The blonde attempted to start some casual conversation; she knew Kairi would bring up something about the incident and she really didn't know how to respond. So, she went with the simple, "Who was that?"

"Aqua." Kairi simply responded before taking the seat on the edge of Namine's bed. The blonde's mouth formed an 'O' shape as she felt the matress shift a bit.

Kairi informed her about her plans with Cloud and, to be honest, she thought it was pretty cute. When Cloud offered Kairi his services on the night he supposedly 'kidnapped' her, Kairi secretly asked him to perform with his band on Battle of The Bands. She was going to sing a song dedicated to Sora to show the great deal of importance he had in her life. She was going to show the whole island that she wasn't using him to get over Cloud. She even called Aqua a few days ago to have her create a video of "SoKai" footage and pictures she previously had to play in the background as she sang her song. And everyone (including the doubtful fangirls) was going to watch. This remained unnoticed by Sora.

"I think Sora will be very pleased with what you've decided to do."

"I do, too, but lately I've been having doubts about whether I should do it or not." Said Kairi with pursed lips, "After what happened with you and Roxas, I feel like I'm betraying you by doing this."

"Don't worry about me, Kairi. Sora is Roxas' brother, not Roxas himself."

"But I wish I could agree with what you said," A look of guilt was plastered across Kairi's face as whisps of her hair covered her porcelain skin, "I wish I could call the Hikari twins no good, lying cheaters to support you, but... I can't. I just can't. I know Sora did the same thing to me and I _should_ say it, but lately he just... I don't even know." She plopped down next to her cousin and looked up at the ceiling with her, "He's made himself so trustworthy. I think he's always been that way but I was just too caught up in the past to see it."

Namine fell silent at her cousins words.

"I think they're both like that. The twins, I mean... there's just something so pure about them." Kairi sat up and stretched, "But enough about what I think. Are you okay, Namine?"

She really wasn't. Her head still ached from all the crying she did.

"I really don't know." She curled into a ball, "I feel betrayed but I can't help believe what you just said. In fact, I agree with you; the twins _are _trustworthy. They wouldn't do something like this. When Sora claims he didn't cheat on you, I believe him." Kairi twitched at this but allowed her cousin to continue, "It's just hard to believe when it's my turn. I want to believe two different things. There are two different paths but I don't know which one to take."

Kairi let out an exasperated sigh, "I really wish I could help but I'm afraid I'm in the same situation as you."

"Do you think..." The blonde artist hugged herself even more, "Do you think he actually did it?"

"I don't know," Kairi pouted with slumped shoulders, "I didn't see it myself. But to be honest, I don't think he'd do that to you, Namine. He loves you too much." Namine looked at her as if it were a sick joke. Kairi sensed the tension and backed away towards the door, "Well I really should get going. I have to meet Cloud for practice. Call me if you need anything, okay? Will you be okay here?"

"Yeah. I don't plan on leaving the house anytime soon. Or my room. I'll probably just sketch or something."

"Promise me you'll at least leave your room to eat."

"I'll try."

"Nami..."

"No. I know that voice, Kairi. You're not staying. You have to practice, don't you? I'll watch your performance from the living room. Good luck. I know you'll do great. He'll love it, okay? Don't worry about me."

The redhead puffed her cheeks at Namine's bluntness, "Fine. See you later, Namine. I'm sure Selphie and Olette will be here soon to comfort you, so don't worry about being lonely."

Namine caught a glimpse of the back of Kairi's head before the door shut. Seeing her cousin walk away made her think. Kairi walked away from Sora because he kissed another girl. Did she even listen to his story? No, she didn't. And she ended up being who she was today; a teenage girl whose hopelessly in love with her ex-boyfriend but is completely in denial. If she only listened to him, she wouldn't have been miserable for two years...

_That could be me,_ The artist hugged her knees, _I don't want to be that way... I know I'm still in love with Roxas... if I want to make this work, then... I can't make Kairi's mistake..._

x

When Sora woke from his good night's sleep (actually it was more like a nap... and it wasn't even a good one), he already knew that things were going to be bad with his brother. But he didn't think it would be _this_ bad.

"R-Roxas." Sora shivered as he sat up from the living room couch. He had fallen asleep with the laptop on his lap so he casually placed it on the coffee table while keeping an eye on his brother, "Why are you_ bald_?" The brunet swore he was about to go into cardiac arrest. Roxas didn't even look like his brother anymore. Roxas' hair was such a big part of his identity- he wasn't Roxas without it!

"Well," His eyes dulled as he played with a rope tied around his waist, "Since my girlfriend doesn't want me anymore, I'm going to study to be a monk and live in a sanctuary with Brother Axel."

Before Sora could comment (in fact he didn't even know what to say), 'Brother Axel' came walking in from the kitchen clad in the same brown robe his twin was in. Thankfully he wasn't bald like his best friend. Bless Axel's fiery, gravity defying red hair.

"Axel," Sora approached them as if he were approaching an angry hobo, "What's going on?"

The pyromanic began playing with the rope around his waist, too, "Since our girlfriends don't want us anymore, we're going to give up on girls forever and live a life of chastity."

"If you weren't out of your freaking mind, I'd say that was the most profound thing I've ever heard you say, Axel." Sora then sighed, "But if this is your decision, I guess I'll have to respect it and-"

A shriek was hear from the staircase. They could already tell it was Selphie without even looking, "OH. MY. MAKER. Don't tell me I need to give you guys makeovers, too!" In her right hand was the "my boyfriend kissed another chick" kit that consisted of a box of tissues, chocolates and chick flicks. The males could only assume that it was for Namine.

"What's happenin'?" Hayner emerged from the kitchen and dropped the sandwich he was making, "Gah! Oh my _gosh_! Roxas, is that you? I never thought I'd look hotter than you!"

"I appreciate your concern." The sunkist blond remarked sarcastically.

"I have to talk some sense into you two before you do something rational," Sora cleared his throat, "Scratch that, even _more_ rational."

"Well good luck. Our mind's set." The pyromaniac plopped onto the couch in synchronization with his blond companion, "It's not like we can win Battle of The Bands anymore, either. Everyone knows me as the a-hole who broke Larxene's heart. Seriously, who would want to vote for a band with someone like me?"

"Okay, first of all," Sora made sure to stretch and yawn before he continued his lecture, "You guys are totally overreacting. We totally got this competition. We've been rehearsing all freaking week. And Axel, it's not that Larxene doesn't want you anymore, it's that _she _thinks that _you_ don't want _her_ anymore. And Roxas, I'm pretty sure Namine's thinking the same thing. Although Kairi did tell me that she's pretty heartbroken about it."

"The thing is I didn't even do it," Roxas buried his face in his hands, "When Axel woke me up and told me what was going on, I was so lost. The last thing I remember was dozing off in the backyard while caressing Nami's face. I didn't even _see_ Xion, let alone _kiss _her. I thought you all knew that I only see her as a friend."

"And now look," His voice was raised a few octaves to show that he was on the verge of tears, "Xion's gone and ruined the best relationship of my life (Axel's jaw dropped at this) and my girlfriend has no intention of interacting with me and called me a no-good, lying cheater. I tried to tell her that it was just a misunderstanding by knocking at her door for four straight hours but she just told me to go away and cried. Even if there was a door in between us, it hurt so much to hear her in pain. It hurt so _so_ much, Sora."

As the two sulked on the couch, Sora couldn't help but see himself in both of them. He knew both of them were innocent and meant well but sadly, the ones who mattered most to them didn't believe it.

"It hurts seeing you guys like this," The brunet pouted, "I know exactly how you feel, and it may seem hard now, but I need you guys to keep trying. Don't just give up. I didn't and look where it got me."

"You're still single." Axel pointed out.

"Am I bald in a monk robe?"

"...Touche."

"My point is, don't give up. If you give up now, there really is no chance of you getting them back. Don't you want them back? Don't you want all those good times back? You can get them back if you keep on trying." Sora flashed them his signature smile. It must've had magical powers or something. No one could resist the power of that reassuring smile.

"Well when you put it that way..." Axel murmured.

"That's the spirit!" After punching an enthusiastic fist in the air, Sora looked at his bald brother from the corner of his eye, "... sort of. Now can you two change into normal clothes and-" He looked at his brother again, "Roxas, go put on a wig or something. Zexion's gonna be here soon to discuss the Ultimecia problem, remember? Then we have to rehearse. Our performance is tonight, so please try to cheer up until then."

"We'll try." Roxas then placed a hand over his shiny bald head and pulled it off. It freaked Sora out a little, but when he realized that his brother was only wearing a bald cap, he could feel his soul returning to him once again. As the two best friends stripped of their robes and revealed the normal clothes they were wearing underneath, the doorbell rung to reveal Zexion holding the island's book of rules and regulations.

"Right on time," Sora complimented as he offered him to come inside, "Do you need anything? Water, tea or whatever-"

"I'm fine." Zexion immediately joined Roxas and Axel on the couch and licked his index finger to flip through the pages of his book.

"Eager to get down to business, I see." Axel made himself more comfortable on the couch by sprawling his legs over Roxas' lap. If the sunkist blond weren't so depressed he would've been complaining about the close proximity.

"You need your time to practice for tonight." Reminded Zexion.

"Practice schmantice," The lead singer sung, "We're like the _Big Time Rush_ of Kingdom Hearts."

"Best not take this too lightly, Sora." The bookworm said nonchalantly as he found the page he was looking for, "Here we are. To summarize, you're allowed to have Ultimecia's crew leave if your old crew so desires to return. You cannot request or choose a new crew. Either you keep the new one assigned to you or get your old one back."

"So if we want the freakshow to leave we gotta get Aqua back?" Axel snorted.

"Precisely."

"But... it's Aqua." The redhead buried his face in his hands, "We need to think about this carefully. Remember what she got us into?"

"What's worse- Aqua or Ultimecia? Oh, now that I mention it, if we do go through with this, what'll happen to Ultimecia?" The older twin asked.

"She'll either be forced to be unemployed or move back in with her old household."

"Who had the misfortune of having her first?" Roxas asked.

"The Leonhart household."

"Squallie?" Sora's ears perked up, "I've heard some rumors that he and his friends have some beef with her. Think he'll be okay if she came back to finish some unfinished business?"

"It's_ Leon_, 'course he'll want to take care of it." Although he sounded annoyed, a ghost of a smile played on Roxas' lips. At least something was about to work in their favour.

"I saw that." Sora rested his elbow on the armrest of the chair and smirked at his brother, "Smile, okay? Things are going to be okay, Roxas. I'm going to help you fix things. Big brother's here."

"Hello, lonely pyromaniac here!" A neglected Axel flailed his arms around, "I'll help, too. Now come on. After we give Squall a call we gotta rehearse. We've got a competition to win!"

* * *

**Strife Household**

"That was beautiful, Kairi." Aerith complimented from the couch. As the redhead blushed in thanks, the hyperactive ninja named Yuffie also began clapping from her position on the couch.

"That was _great_! I could literally _feel _the words! Wow Cloud, you snagged a good one for this challenge!"

"Yuffie." Cloud shot her a dissaproving glare while placing his acoustic guitar back on its stand.

"Oh don't worry Cloudie. She took no offense. But I'm just wondering- aren't you a little offended by the song?"

"No." The blond answered bluntly, "It's completely fine with me. It_ is _how she really feels, isn't it? She'll do fine."

Kairi began packing her ukelele with a pink tint on her cheeks, "G-gee, thanks guys. I hope I don't dishonor your band or anything."

"Are you kidding me?" Zack winked, "With that performance, you might have just won us this thing." Suddenly Kairi felt a pang of guilt in her heart. Keeping _The Advent Children_ in the competition wasn't exactly her intention. What if Zack was right? What if their performance caused the downfall of The Oathkeepers? She couldn't cause them more pain for her own personal reasons.

"Kairi, don't worry." Miraculously, that came from Tifa, "Whatever happens, things will be okay. Trust me. You'll do great."

Although the two seemingly hated each other, Kairi couldn't help but think that Tifa knew what went through her head, "Th-thank you, Tifa." The air grew awkward after that, so Kairi insisted that it was time for her to leave. As she made her way towards the door, Cloud jogged after her.

"Kairi." He leaned against the glass doorframe as she put on her shoes, "Can you do me a favour?"

She glared at him, "Look, I know you're helping me and all, but I don't think I'm ready to do any favours for you."

"It's actually for Solice."

Kairi sighed in defeat; who would she be if she turned down the founder of Kingdom Hearts Resort? "What is it?"

"Can you and Sora babysit Luna for a bit?"

"Wh-"

"Solice asked me and Tifa this morning, but Luna kept begging for you two. She's very fond of the both of you, you know. Solice has been meaning to speak to you and Sora, too."

After some thought, Kairi had no choice but to agree, "All right, but how long will this take? You do know Sora and I have to perform tonight, don't you? Haven't you considered our rehearsal time?"

"Believe me, I have. It'll only be for an hour or two, I promise. It's only noon and the competition doesn't start until eight. And I figured you two needed a little break after the... drama your household has gone through."

Kairi groaned, "You're lucky Sora likes Luna. We'll do it, but only for your brother and your brother only. We obviously can't turn him down of all people." And with that, Kairi quickly dialed Sora's number.

**Hikari Household**

_Knock knock knock_

"Go away. I'm not in the mood."

"Namine!" Selphie screeched, "It's Selphie and Olette! We have chick flicks and chocolate! Let us in!" The blonde refused. The petite brunette continued to bang on the door.

"Excuse me." Came a deep, masculine voice. Riku kindly pushed the girls aside and opened the door. As he closed it, Olette and Selphie just stood there, jaws agape.

Namine groaned into her pillow, "I said go awa-"

"You know, I never really understood why girls watch chick flicks and eat chocolate when they have relationship problems."

The artist's ears perked up; that was _not_ the voice she was expecting to hear.

"Doesn't the flick remind you of the person you're sulking about and the chocolate make you fat?" He continued. The silver-haired boy decided to occupy the beanie chair on her lounge.

"Riku..." Namine revealed herself from her pillow. She noticed how comfortable he looked on the chair and how calm his face was. It made no sense to her. "You seem rather nonchalant about this whole thing. What are you doing here?" She was actually glad that it was Riku who came in. They seemed to be on equal terms when it came to understanding the other. They were fairly close. That, and with his new appearance, he seemed all the more welcoming.

"First of all, I chose not to be chalant about it." Riku shrugged and rested his feet on the beanie bag chair adjacent to the one he was practically lying down on, "And second, I'm here to tell you that you're blowing this whole thing way out of proportion."

"I didn't expect that at all." Namine said honestly, "I expected you to, well... be as depressed as me. No offense."

Riku waved, "None taken. And for the record, I _was_ as depressed as you a few hours ago."

"What changed your mind?" Namine asked, belly against the mattress.

"You." She felt stupefied by this statement.

Riku chuckled; something she (or probably anyone but Xion) had never heard before, "Calm down. I'm not going to tell you that I've been in love with you all this time or something. A talk I had with you actually changed my mind."

Namine's reassured silence allowed him to continue.

"I saw it, you know. I had a front row seat. A saw the silhouetted kiss myself. I looked for a second then turned my head. That was a mistake on my part. Like you, I immediately ran to my room to think. I thought 'Selphie had changed me to get Xion's attention and all I get is a smack in the face'. After a few hours of sulking and common sense, I realized that I got it all wrong. Selphie changed me for the better, so I did something the better me would do. I was tired of getting hurt, so I thought about the day you spoke to me about trust."

He looked at her and genuinly smiled, "Do you remember that? You told me to trust everyone around me, so I did. I trusted that Xion wouldn't do something like that. I have more faith in my best friend than that. She's grown to learn that doing something like that will just end up ugly like before. I'm not going to do something rational because of a misunderstanding. Did you see Axel in the kitchen this morning? He was wearing a freaking monk robe." He rubbed his temples and chuckled, "Idiot. Anyway, I put my trust in Roxas, too. I trusted that he wouldn't do something like that to you. It just didn't add up."

"Huh..." Namine rested her cheek on her pillow, "I never thought that you'd be the one talking to me about trust."

"I learned from the best," He complimented, "And I know it's hard now, but you should take your own advice. Trust your faith in Roxas and give him a chance. I haven't seen Xion yet but I know that when I do, I'll let her know that I trust her. Can't have her thinking that her best friend abandoned her."

"Wow, you... really love Xion, don't you, Riku?" Namine shook her head, "That was a stupid question. Thanks, Riku. You've really made me think."

"It's no problem. Just returning a favour." The albino boy stood up from the chairs and started heading out the door, "Good luck." When Riku left, Selphie and Olette ran in.

"Oh la la~," Sang Selphie, "Riku, huh? You certainly work fast."

"It's nothing like that," Namine reassured with a smile, "He was just being... a friend. A really good friend, that's all."

x

"Are you here to yell at me?" Asked a teary-eyed Xion.

After a straight three hour rehearsal, Sora went straight to conversing with Xion in the backyard. The two currently sat face to face at the patio with mugs of coffee (or in Sora's case, hot chocolate) in hand, discussing the night's events.

"Yeah, pretty much." Sora responded while running a hand through his unruly spikes. Xion sighed; everything with Sora had to be so dramatic. Not to mention that no one in the household was talking to her...

"Can't you let me explain?" The brunet could see the raven-haired girl's hand clutch the handle of her mug tightly. She shivered while doing so.

"What is there to explain?" The way Sora made circles with index finger on the surface of the table drove Xion crazy. He looked so calm but could explode at any second.

"I didn't do it." Xion choked, "Please believe me."

"How am I supposed to believe that when, when..." Sora desperately searched for air, "When you did the same thing to me all those years ago?"

"I'm sorry-"

"It's too late for that!" Xion's anticipation of Sora exploding faded after that. Even if he was tired as hell he was like a bomb, "Do you have any idea what you've done to Roxas and Namine? Roxas can't even stand to look at you! He's losing his faith in you! Haven't you learned your lesson from what you did to me and Kairi? I thought I told you to respect the next guy that you fell for! Kissing his girlfriend isn't respectful at all! It was already enough that you did this to me, but to do it to my brother, too? My_ brother_, Xion!"

Halfway through the speech Xion already had tears streaming down her face, "You don't get it, Sora! I don't even like Roxas! He's my _friend_! A good friend, all right? I only want to see my friend happy, so why would I destroy that? I saw how hurt you were when I kissed you before, and you know I'm sorry and regret it, but I wouldn't want to repeat that with anyone else! Why would I do something that would hurt me, too? !"

"Because you love my brother!"

"I don't!" She sobbed, "I mean, I do, as a friend, but the one I love is Riku, Sora! I love RIKU! Riku, not Roxas! I didn't do anything to Roxas, I swear! I know this seems really sudden, but... Roxas is just a really good friend! The one I think of romantically is RIKU, okay? ! I... I think I always have but I was just t-to blind to see it... until last night..."

The brunet immediately shut up after that. His quickened heartbeat died down and his throat soothed again. The look Xion wore when she confessed her love for her best friend and fought for her innocence reminded him of himself trying to convince Kairi that he didn't cheat on her. Looking at her was like looking at himself on the inside. They felt the exact same thing. It was like, for once, they understood each other.

"I didn't do it." She hugged herself and continued to cry, "I know you're the last person that'll believe me, but please. I didn't do it."

"I want to believe you." Sora sipped on his hot chocolate in a child-like manner; fearful and suspicious of the heat, "It would be like believing myself. But, right now, I need proof, Xion. I haven't exactly forgiven you yet."

"That's better than nothing." Xion murmured into her mug, "And please don't tell Riku."

"I won't." A vibration in Sora's pants almost caused him to drop his mug. After freaking out, he answered his vibrating phone and realized that it was the girl of his affections, "Kairi, hey, what's up? Is everything okay? Oh, uh, no, why? _What? _Why? Solice? Oh man. Okay. All right. I'll pick you up in a few."

"See ya, Sora." Said Xion melancholicly while staring at her reflection in the coffee.

"Y-yeah." Then, in the next second, he was gone.

* * *

"Selphie, I'm not so sure about this."

"What are you talking about, Nami? You look hot! Don't you think so, Olette?"

"U-uh, I think a simple _adorable _would suffice."

"Oh boo-hoo, you're too pure, Lette." Selphie took Namine by the shoulders and spun the blonde around to check her appearance in the brunette's full-length mirror, "Wow, I am a genius. I don't know why you always wear white when you look so sexy in black, Nami. Look at those curves and creamy legs! You go, girl!"

The blonde turned beet red when she saw herself in the mirror. It wasn't exactly the look she was going for. In fact, it was the complete opposite of her usual look. It wasn't the message she wanted to give people when they saw her.

Selphie had forced her into an extremely tight denim skirt that rested way higher than her comfort zone, a white halter top and a very thin black long-sleeve shirt that exposed every curve in her body. Her hair was untamed and her eyes were merciless.

"Now let's go mingle with some single pringles!" Selphie sang as she hooked her arms with the most innocent members of their group; Namine and Olette.

"Selphie, I'm not so sure that this is a good idea." Olette kicked aside an empty ice-cream tub in disgust, "I don't think this is good for Namine's health."

"Girl please, Namine needs to put herself out there. We'll show Roxas that he's not the only one that can have her! We already had Riku at her feet even without the make-up!"

"I told you it was nothing like that." Namine whined, "I'm fine here. Riku's given me a lot to think about."

Selphie lowered her sunglasses and stared her down, "Namine, I promise you that we'll go out and have fun for a bit. If you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and we'll take you straight home. You need a break from this. You can't just lock yourself up the whole day! Please, just try. It's worth a shot. Olette, Hayner and I will take good care of you."

"I..." She gulped; now she knew what Kairi felt like before. Weak, useless. Maybe she should try to let loose (whatever _that_ meant). And she _did_ know her way around the island- well, sorta, "I'll try. I need some fresh air to think, anyway..."

"That's the spirit!" Selphie led the two to the front foyer where Hayner was waiting for them. Since Sora was about to occupy Roxas' car, the gamer was swishing the keys to Axel's car on his index finger.

"I think we should take her somewhere safe." Hayner suggested, "Namine likes art, doesn't she? We should take her to that art museum thingy near the Battle of The Bands stadium."

Namine suddenly felt excited, "That's... that would be great!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sora emerged from the kitchen with Axel and Roxas in tow; all three of them had sodas in hand for their rehearsal break, "And just where do you think you're going?"

Namine's heart shattered at the sight of her boyfriend. The colour from his eyes had been completely drained and his skin was as pale as snow. It was like they had switched positions.

"We're going to have some fun!" Selphie winked- everyone could already tell that Selphie would try hooking Namine up with other guys, "Don't worry _dad_, we'll get her back safe and sound."

"Selphie." Axel said sternly, "You better take care of her."

"Wow, I never expected that from you, Axel. I expected you to do this to Roxas, too." Selphie pursed her lips, _I guess that thing with Larxene really got to him..._

"Roxas _loves_ Namine," He deadpanned, "Flirting with other girls is completely unecessary."

Hayner whistled, "Yaow. Who are you and what have you done to Axel?"

"Call me if anything happens, got it?" Sora was already walking out the door, "You better dedicate yourselves to her safety."

"We will." Olette promised. Sora left after that.

"Nami..." Came Roxas' hoarse voice. It was so painful to see him that way. The lump in Namine's throat grew bigger. She didn't know what to think that very moment.

_"You should take your own advice."_

"Roxas-" She reached out to him, but the next thing she knew, an elegant glass door shut closed and seperated her from her lover.

x

_Text received from_ **Sora Hikari**:

**Sora:** Go outside. I'm here.

As commanded, Kairi exited the Strife household after she bade everyone farewell and found Sora leaning against the passenger side of his brother's silver lexus in the driveway, pondering through his iPhone. He wore a thin navy blue hoodie (which he rolled up to his elbows, of course) that did well to compliment his muscles, dark jeans, a red belt and yellow sneakers. Other than his converse, they were his favourite pair. Around his neck was the necklace she bought him for his birthday; he never seemed to take it off. He would've looked like he stepped right out of an _Abercrombie and Fitch_ advertisement if it weren't for the heavy bags under his cerulean eyes.

"What took you so long? I've been standing here trying to look cool for five minutes." His voice screamed irritation but his tired eyes showed joy to have laid upon her.

Kairi chuckled as he opened the door for her, "Sorry. Packing up and saying goodbye took longer than I thought." When she entered the car (the roof was already down so she didn't have to worry about ducking), she noticed something, "No bad boy motorcycle?"

"Luna." He simply answered with a yawn; four-year-olds and motorcycles didn't exactly mix well, "What are you doing here anyway? And why is your ukelele with you?"

Kairi turned beet red and brushed off the topic, "Nothing, nothing. Just business."

"I don't even know why you bother to spend time with that idiot." The brunet muttered as he got in the driver's seat. After Kairi told him not to worry about it, he began to stare off into space. His eyes began to droop and his head peacefully rested on the seat, feeling a sense of tranquility-

"Sora, let me drive." Kairi insisted, "You look _really_ tired. Maybe you'll tell my why after you take a little nap."

He jumped from his seat, "Wait, wait, you can drive?"

Kairi gave him the _'duh'_ expression, "Uh, yeah. I just need an adult in the car and, considering your age, you're an adult. Personality wise, I'm not so sure."

"Ha ha. Funny." His velvet smooth voice was coated in sarcasm as he opened his door to accept her offer, "Are you sure?"

"I'm not going to get us killed, Sora." Kairi giggled as she swapped spots with him, "Now go to sleep."

"Mm," He reclined the seat more to ease his comfort, "I'll try."

When he shut his eyes, Kairi immediately shifted gears, pulled out of the driveway and sped off to the Strife vacation home to pick up Luna. For a girl, heck, for anyone, Sora had to admit that Kairi was a pretty good driver. When they arrived at the curb of the mansion after passing the long line of dumbapple trees, Kairi stopped the car and walked up the steps with Sora in tow.

As they waited for someone to answer the door, Kairi began whining, "You didn't sleep. I could see from the corner of my eye."

"You're far too observant, Kairi." Sora chuckled, "And yes, I didn't sleep. I couldn't resist the experience of you driving. You're so cute when you're focused on the road."

"U-uh," _Change the subject, change the subject, change the subject,_ "So where should we take Luna today?"

By the looks of his smirk, he knew that she tried to dodge the topic of her adorable driving, "Well I was thinking of taking her to the movies. They're playing that new Disney movie in IMAX 3D. I think it's called _Tangled_ or something."

"Tangled?" Kairi's eyes lit up, "I've been wanting to watch that movie! Yay~!"

"Kairi," Sora ruffled her hair with a laugh, "You're so cute." It was a good thing that someone finally decided to answer the door- Kairi couldn't think of another topic to keep Sora distracted. Behind the oversized wooden doors was Solice cradling baby Astrium in one hand and the other keeping a tight grip on Luna's wrist.

"Sora, Kairi, good afternoon. I've been meaning to talk to you. Please, come inside. This won't take long, I assure you."

The two did what they were told and walked into a familiar circular lobby. The air was heavy in their household and not only because the AC wasn't on. The memories they had in there weren't exactly the best.

"Sora!" Luna immediately pounced on the brunet the instant he walked in. He responded by picking her up and mounting her on his back, "Hey Luna!"

"Hi Kairi!" The little girl greeted with the same amount of enthusiasm. The redhead took her pudgy hand in her own and squeezed her cheek.

"She really is fond of you," Solice chuckled, "Thank you for doing this. I know I'm taking time from your schedule and I really should pay you-"

"No, no," Kairi waved, "It's fine. This is nothing compared to you letting us stay on this amazing island."

"You're a very sweet girl, Kairi." Complimented Cloud's older brother.

"Tell me about it." Sora winked from where he was while Luna giggled.

Kairi hid her blush by looking down at the floor made of marble, "S-so Mr. Strife, what is it you needed to talk to us about?"

"I never really got a chance to thank you and Sora for your participation in the anniversary," He said with a grateful smile on his face, "Sora, your performance with The Gullwings was both hilarious and entertaining. You and Kairi also did amazing in the tango, so thank you. I could literally feel the passion by looking at the both of you. You two make a good team."

Everyone giggled lightly as Kairi's face grew even redder, "Th-thank you."

"And another thing," His tone grew serious this time, "It has come to my attention that Axel Oryxine and Larxene Cloryx have been on the edge of their relationship after the commotion last night. The same goes for Roxas Aethon and Namine Emori. Your household is going through a lot, including Ultimecia."

"H-how do you-?" Sora grinned, "News comes to the founder fast, doesn't it?"

"You're quite right." Solice gave him the same grin, "If there's anything I can do to help, please notify me. You two have been a great asset to this island an have survived many hardships. Ms. Elendil has shown me a great deal about you two."

"Aqua?" Kairi twiddled her thumbs.

"Yes. She's fairly close with Cloud and she highly regrets what she's done to you. So on behalf of what my brother and Aqua have done to you, I offer you my services."

"Thank you, sir." Sora accepted his offer with a goofy smile, "We'll tell you if anything comes up."

"I'll be waiting." After taking a glance at his watch, Solice re-opened the doors, "You should get going."

"We should." Sora agreed and placed Luna on the ground and held her hand.

Kairi did the same with the other hand. As the three bade Solice farewell, the ex-couple helped Luna skip down the steps by hauling her up at the same time and giggling. Solice remained silent in the sidelines with a grin on his face. Luckily what his brother did wasn't enough to break the magical bond between those two.

"You know where the east theatre is, right?" Asked Sora while buckling Luna to the back seat. The blonde gurgled in joy when he pinched her nose playfully.

"Yup," Kairi's mouth popped as she put the keys into the ignition, "I just need to pick something up from Aqua real quick, then we'll head off."

"Sounds good." Sora hopped into the passenger seat and checked Luna's reflection from the mirror, "You okay, Luna?" Kairi secretly blushed at his admirable father figure.

"Mmhmm!" When she nodded, the two 'parents' resisted the urge to pinch her chubby little cheeks and squeal. Yes, that went for Sora, too.

As Kairi revved the engine, she put on her sunglasses and placed her hands on the steering wheel.

Sora wolf-whistled, "Always gotta ride in style, don't you Kai?"

"Heck yeah." She winked as she switched the gearshift to drive. Sora was about to remove his own pair from his collar but Kairi slapped his hand away and reprimanded him, "Nuh uh uh! Put them down. I can't tell if you're sleeping or not with those on."

"But I look so-" He was about to say _sexy_ but remembered the presence of their daughter in the car, "-attractive with them on."

Much to his chagrin, Kairi didn't give him the answer he was expecting. She probably saw right through it, "Don't worry, you look unattractive either way."

He pretended to look dejected before resting his head on the seat. Judging by the smile on his face that came afterwards, he knew it was a joke. Sora seemed healthy in every aspect- including his self-esteem.

"Get some sleep, okay?" Kairi's voice softened as she patted his cheek.

"Fine, _mom_." He rolled his eyes before she stepped on the pedal. It wasn't long before he felt himself drifting off to sleep with the wind tickling his skin. Kairi, no matter how many times she had woken up with him next to her (since that sounded a little sketchy she blushed madly), she couldn't get over how peaceful he looked when he slept. Luckily it wasn't too distracting- she got to Aqua's house about six minutes later.

"Luna, stay here okay?" The redhead commanded while getting out of the car, "And don't wake up Sora."

"Don't wake up daddy. Got it." She shushed her own lips with a pudgy finger.

"So cute." Kairi placed a hand on her cheek and squealed as she walked up the path. Aqua's house was a loft and wasn't nearly as big as hers, but she had to admit that it looked as welcoming and homey with all the flowers and whatnot. Judging by Ventus' car in the driveway, they were home.

_Knock knock knock_

"Kairi," Short blue hair peered from the door and was followed by Aqua's sweet face, "Would you like to come inside?"

After greeting her with a hug (though she had to admit it felt less awkward than she thought), Kairi kindly rejected her offer, "Sorry, can't. Sora and I are babysitting Luna. They're waiting in the car, actually."

"Oh, that's too bad." The look on Aqua's face told her that she really needed to tell Kairi something; sadly, the redhead was in a rush, "I'll get the CD." Thirty seconds after waiting awkwardly on Aqua's porch, she returned with a CD case in hand, "Here you go. Hope you'll like it."

"Thank you so much, Aqua." Kairi bowed in gratitude, "By the way, where's Ven and Pence?"

She hesitated to answer, "They're... on a walk."

"Oh, well, could you tell them I said hi?" After she nodded, Kairi remembered, "Oh, how did your date go, by the way?" Aqua's face hardened; Kairi noticed, "I see... I hope things work out soon."

When Kairi began to walk down the stoned pathway after she said goodbye (awkwardly, mind you), Aqua called out to her, "Kairi, before I forget, there's something I need to show you. Bring as many people as you can from your household here after the Battle of The Bands. Especially Roxas, Namine and Xion. This is very important. It seems I can't contact them now, so please let them know."

Kairi noted the austerity in Aqua's voice and promised, "Sure thing."

x

The rest of the afternoon passed by quickly after that. After the trio arrived at the theatre, Kairi woke up Sora (it was easier said than done) and hauled him into the theatre. As expected, he paid for every expense although Kairi offered to pay for half. The brunet was perfectly capable of standing, but since he was still a bit drowsy from his nap, Kairi had to do all the running when going after the hyperactive Luna.

While Kairi happily munched on their popcorn and watched the movie with Luna on her lap, Sora couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the stares he was getting from a few fangirls. He shrugged it off halfway through the movie, though. As long as Kairi was enjoying it, he was fine. He was actually enjoying it, too. It was yet another disney masterpiece that struck the hearts of all ages.

Although, there was one scene in particular that made everything worthwhile. Sora and Kairi no longer cared that they were cutting into their rehearsal time. Babysitting Luna became a blessing. One scene took them away from all the troubles their friends were going through.

Since the movie was in 3D, everything seemed more magical and real. In the scene, thousands of floating lanterns filled the night sky as the two protagonists sang to each other while on a romantic boat ride. Lanterns filled the theatre and, for once, everyone in the theatre was focused on the movie. Even the fangirls took a break from watching Sora.

As music blasted through the speakers, Kairi and Luna began flailing their arms around to try and touch the lanters. Sora removed his 3D glasses and silently laughed to himself at the sight. Kairi guided Luna's tiny hand to an imaginary lantern and the blonde gurgled in joy. Sora could feel Kairi's eyes lock with his for a split second (it was hard to tell with her glasses still on) and at the same time, they giggled and blushed in the other direction. Sora resisted the urge to pull the move after that; he succeeded.

By the end of the movie, Kairi was in tears of joy and Luna rested on Sora's shoulders.

"That was such a good movie~!" The redhead squealed. Then she squinted her eyes due to the brightness outside as they exited the theatre.

Sora too shielded his eyes but managed to keep that goofy smile on his face, "Hehe, I bet it was considering that you cried in the end."

"Oh come on," Kairi shoved him lightly as he unlocked the doors to Roxas' car, "Didn't you feel something when Rapunzel's parents saw her again? I bawled, man!"

"Sorry, I'm a die-hard disney fan, but I'm not a marshmallow." The brunet teased while buckling the blonde in the back seat.

"Oh whatever." Kairi stretched and yawned before slamming her head onto the hood of the car, "I'm tired."

_Hm hm, must be tired from chasing Luna around earlier. Heh, I knew she'd make one heck of a mom. _Kairi squeaked when she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind, "Good; since I'm all rested up, I'll drive." Kairi contained her screams when Sora tossed her into the passenger seat. As soon as he started the engine he put on his aviators and winked at the rear-view mirror, _Sora Hikari, you are one sexy beast._

"All right, all right, you look hot, we get it." Kairi waved her hand and rolled her eyes playfully; she too had her sunglasses on. Sora blushed in flattery; Luna noticed and giggled. "By the way, Sora, Aqua wants to see all of us later on tonight. You know where her house is, right?"

"Hm, yeah, sure."

The ride after that was spent in silence with music playing at a low volume in the background. Luna was knocked out in the back seat while Kairi stole secret glances at the driver. She wasn't fond of the large distance in between them (she had to admit she was attracted and wanted to be much closer to him) but she couldn't help but stare.

She had never noticed before, but Sora was _really cute_ when he was driving.

Seeing him drive a motorcycle was sexy, but in a car, he was adorable. She knew he was taking precautions for Luna's safety. She knew he wasn't driving as fast as he wanted to for this reason. He kept his eyes on the road and remained focused while drumming his fingers on the edge of the steering wheel. On top of that, he was humming (in tune, mind you) to the song on the radio. She couldn't tell what song it was, but whatever it was, it became a soft lullaby that lulled her to sleep within the next five seconds.

It was needless to say that Luna wasn't the only one Sora had to carry home.

* * *

**8:00pm **

_Hey all you music lovers out there! This is DJ Demyx coming to you live from KH R radio station! Today marks the semi-final match of Battle of The Bands, and here to give us the deets is reporter Shiki Masaki! Take it away, Shiki! _

...

_Shiki? Guys, switch the- no, that button! Gah! No! I knew they picked the wrong guy for the job! It's that button over ther-_

Namine meekly rolled her eyes at the amateurs on the radio station. Selphie was socializing with some guys that she thought suited Namine, Hayner and Olette were off browsing some art and she continued to listen to the umbling and arguing on the speakers of the art gallery before a feminine voice took over.

_Hello, this is Shiki Masaki signing in for the KH R radio station! I am currently in the stadium where Battle of The Bands will be taking place tonight and as you can tell by the intensive cheering in the background, it's a full house! _

She could hear the crowd outside herself.

_The challenge today is to test the lead singer- can they move the crowd with their vocals and music? Let's find out! The Oathkeepers have been scheduled to go first and- oh! Here comes Sora Hikari now! And is that Roxas Aethon trailing behind him? Wow, I could hardly recognize him! He looks like a ghost!_

The ashen-haired artist cringed as she browsed a painting on the wall. The art surrounding her at the gallery didn't come alive to her like it used to. When she visited art galleries with Roxas, art came to life. He appreciated it with her. He gave art more meaning. He became her art. Her inspiration for everything.

_"Hey everyone! Lead singer of The Oathkeepers Sora Hikari here! My brother and I will be performing a cover of Utada Hikaru's_ Come Back To Me. _This performance was originally supposed to be dedictated to my ex-girlfriend, Kairi Lovelock-"_

The blonde could faintly hear the crowd _aww _from outside.

_"- but due to recent events, I've decided to dedicate it to my brother Roxas and his girlfriend Namine Emori."_

Namine gasped before leaning against a greek-themed pillar nearby. She was just as shocked as the crowd outside and the artists listening to the radio.

Then she heard _his_ voice.

_"Sora, what are you doing?"_

_"Don't worry, Roxas. You've done so much for me that's it's time I do something in return. Don't be scared. Your big bro's here to help. Now let's rock."_

It wasn't long before the trill of a piano echoed throughout the gallery before Sora started strumming on his guitar and sung the first line of the song.

_"The rain falls on my windows and the coldness runs through my soul, and the rain falls, oh the rain falls, I don't want to be alone..."_

"Namine!" Hollered Olette. The braided brunette took her by the wrist and started dragging her elsewhere, "You have to see this!"

_"I wish that I could photoshop all our bad memories 'cause the flashbacks, oh the flashbacks, won't leave me alone..."_

Olette led Namine to the center of the exhibit where a crowd of artists had gathered in front of an insanely large screen that was in the shape of a semi-circle. It currently displayed the live feed from cameras onstage at the stadium. Sora was positioned at the center with his acoustic guitar while Roxas stayed behind him and played at the grand piano. Behind the two against the back of the stage were three panels also in the shape of a semi circle, only this time, each panel screen was_ at least _five times bigger than the one she was looking at.

Each panel displayed either a picture or video of Roxas and Namine at the resort. Some were even from Twilight Town. The sunkist blond looked just as shocked as she did upon this realization.

_"If you come back to me, I'll be all that you need, baby come back to me, let me make up for what happened in the past~!"_

Then Roxas sang back-up in his passionate tenor voice.

_"Come back, baby come back to me, come back, I'll be everything you need, come back, baby come back to me, come back, girl you're one in a million."_

"That is _so_ sweet." Selphie caressed her own cheek and sighed in delight. Namine agreed. Every picture, every video, every word that escaped Roxas' mouth reminded her of how wonderful their relationship was. Did she really throw that away because he possibly kissed someone else? She didn't even have proof to back it up.

"Wow Selph. Way to contradict the whole reason we're here." Hayner rolled his eyes while placing his hands in his pocket. He didn't participate in the competition this week. It's not like they needed him for fancy lighting and whatnot, anyway.

_I can't shake the feeling that I've been unfair,_ Namine hugged herself. That pleading, lonely look he had on his face as he played the piano and sung... _she _did that to him. _Oh, Roxas..._

After the chorus was repeated, the second verse begun. Sora sung the first two stanzas and, this was very obvious, he sung a specific line to Kairi who was cheering in the audience.

_"I wish that she would listen to his side of the story. It isn't that bad, it isn't that bad, and he's wiser for it now."_

_So this is what he's so tired._ After Sora specifically sung the line to her, he walked away towards the panels with his acoustic guitar slung across his back. She admired his kindness though she only saw his backside, _He's so nice..._

He stayed up all night to re-create the memories of Namine and Roxas and replaced the performance's true intentions. She was actually glad he didn't follow through with dedicating it to her. She would've fallen for him deeper than she already did that moment.

Kairi's doubt from this morning vanished. She was definetely going to perform. Sora deserved it.

_"Everything I ever did, heaven knows I'm sorry I did, baby take it easy on me... baby, come back to me. Baby come back to me!"_

As expected, the crowd roared when the song was over. Even artists in the gallery appreciated it with a few claps and snaps. Namine was far too overwhelmed to even move. It was like she was a frozen sculpture, much like the ones on display behind her.

Her decision was made.

She wasn't going to make Kairi's mistake. She was going to put all her faith in Roxas. She saw his face in that performance. She felt every memory in that slideshow. Roxas definetely wouldn't kiss another girl. She overreacted. She needed to see him then and there.

"We can't." Hayner said as if he were reading her mind, "I'm sorry, Namine, but look at all the people in our way. Those people at the stadium can get pretty dangerous. We need to keep you safe."

"I have to try!" The blonde's eyes were filled with determination when she said this. It had the three teens taken aback.

"Nami..." Olette looked at the screen one last time- Kairi was about to perform, "Okay. We'll try."

"I don't have a very good feeling about this." Selphie mumbled as Hayner navigated them through the crowd of artists.

"You're not the only one." Olette responded with a whisper.

Hayner, on the other hand, took precautions and began to call Roxas backstage. He didn't pick up. He tried again and again, but he still wouldn't pick up. He cursed under his breath and agreed with the girls- this wasn't going to be good.

* * *

"Up next we have _The Advent Children_! Last week they performed..."

As Vaan and Zidane informed the crowd with their rather lame jokes, The Oathkeepers kept themselves occupied with small talk backstage.

"Sora, it's my turn to thank you." Roxas said with grateful eyes, "That meant a lot to me."

The brunet took his seat on a bed of amplifiers and flashed him a toothy grin, "No problem, twinzy."

Axel emerged from the curtains and applauded, "Fantastic. Not a dry eye in sight."

Sora's eyebrows raised, "Riku?"

"Home with Xion." The pyromaniac responded.

"Really now?" Sora snickered, "Sounds... kinky."

"Augh, don't talk about her, please." Roxas buried his head in his hands, "I don't know whether to be angry or confused with her. We became such good friends, I trusted her so much. On one hand I want to hate her for what she did but on the other, I want to believe that she didn't do it. It just doesn't make sense. She knows we're just friends. She respects my relationship with Namine."

"Agreed," Axel nodded, "I know her pretty well, too, and I don't think she'd make the same mistake twice."

"Yeah, we'll see." Sora grumbled, "It's kind of hard to see where you're coming seeing that she was the one who-" A flash of claret hair moving through the curtains caught Sora off guard.

Axel looked in the same direction but saw nothing, "What's goin' on?"

"Was that...?" Sora lowered his outstretched hand, "No, it couldn't be."

"Guys, the show's starting. We should watch." Roxas suggested while making his way towards the curtains. His best friend and brother followed to show agreement as they left the pile of amplifiers abandone.

In the midst of those amplifiers, the screen on Roxas' phone read _15 missed calls_.

x

"For today's performance, _The Advent Children_ have a very special guest performing for them." Vaan waited for the crowd to talk amongst themselves before calming them down, "Yes, exciting, I know. We've all met her before. She's got a real nice voice."

"Pretty, too." Zidane winked.

"And she was here last week." Vaan added. That was enough for Sora to go ballistic. He knew the claret coloured hair he saw belonged to _her_.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Cloud Strife and our special guest, Kairi Lovelock!" Zidane gestured his hands towards their direction. Cloud came in casually and took a seat on a stool while Kairi nervously waved at the crowd and positioned herself in front of a mic a few meters away from Cloud with her ukelele. The stadium was filled with applause, a few growls (fangirls, no doubt) and wolf whistles.

"I told you she was pretty." Zidane placed his elbow on Kairi's shoulder, winked again and admired her attire. Only Kairi could make a simple pink dress look like it was worth ten thousand munny.

"Keep your distance, Zidane. Sora Hikari's backstage. He'll kick your ass if he sees you eyeing up his woman like that." Vaan snickered; the crowd had a good laugh, minus the fangirls who cracked their knuckles. The crowd laughed even more when the cameras zoomed in on Sora's red face.

As the crowd died down, Vaan gestured his hands over to Kairi one last time before he and Zidane left the stage. The crowd grew silent after that. Cameras flashed, random people coughed and the spotlight was right in Kairi's face. She looked much more innocent this time round. She wasn't the viperous young woman she was before onstage. It was highly probable that everyone noticed this- especially Sora.

"H-hey everyone," Kairi nervously placed one hand on the mic, "It's me again. T-today I'll be doing something completely different from before. I'll be singing Katy Perry's _Thinking Of You_. Before I begin, I'd like to tell you that..." She clasped her eyes shut and held onto the mic for dear life.

_"There is a guy who loves you, and only you. He's right here."_

_"You deserve only the best, Kairi."_

_"You're you. That's what makes me happy. It's not the things you do that make me happy, but you. You're you. Don't ever ask me again why you make me happy because you just do."_

_"You're amazing."_

_"I hope you consider me as worthy of you now, Kairi."_

_"Baby come back to me, I'll be everything you need."_

With a final deep breath, Kairi regained herself and said passionately, "I'd like to dedicate this performance to my ex-boyfriend Sora Hikari." Gasps and screams were heard here and there, but she didn't falter, "I want you to know that this is how I've felt from the beginning of this vacation. I want to remind you how important you are to me. I want everyone to know how important you are to me, because really, Sora... you mean so much to me. You're not someone I'm using to get over Cloud. You're so much more than that. I know it seems impossible with the way things started out between us here, but a lot has changed since then. I-I don't know if I mean for this to be romantic or not, but... after everything you've been through for me, it's my turn to show you how much you mean to me."

The song hadn't even started yet, and Sora's eyes were already glistening. His heart was beating so loudly that he could hear it himself. When it did, though, he had to hold his tears back to preserve his masculinity. If Axel ever saw him like that, he'd never hear the end of it.

_"Comparisons are easily done once you've had a taste of perfection..."_

Much like his presentation, Kairi had a video of them playing on the panels in the background. It had footage of them from the very beginning of the vacation up until the anniversary. Due to the song it had a bit of her and Cloud in it, but Sora was the main focus. Plus Kairi's video was much better than his seeing that it was professionally edited by Aqua.

_So this is what she was up to, _Sora leaned against the wall and crossed his arms with a huge grin plastered across his face, _Kairi, you've really got to stop finding ways to make me fall for you. You'll seriously kill me._

_"You're like an indian summer in the middle of winter, like a hard candy with a surprise center. How do I get better once I've had the best?"_

"I hate to say this, but," Roxas formed a fist over his mouth, "I think we just got _pwned_."

_"He kissed my lips, I taste your mouth. He pulled me in I was disgusted with myself."_

Axel ruffled the paralyzed Sora's hair and snickered, "That's one hell of a girl, Hikari."

"I know."

_"And yes, I do regret how I could let myself let you go. And now the lesson's learned. I touched and I was burned. Now I think you should know- !"_

"Is that Kairi?" Olette asked. Sadly they just got out of the gallery but could still hear the music blaring from the speakers.

"Yeah. She's good, huh?" Even if she was being dragged by Hayner, Selphie managed to crack a smile, "Been playing the ukelele since she was thirteen."

_I knew she'd do great,_ Namine secretly smiled to herself for her cousin's sake.

Hayner wasn't as affected as the other girls. He was far too busy cursing at his cellphone, "That idiot really needs to pick up..."

_"Cause when I'm with him I am thinking of you, thinking of you, what you would do if... you were the one who was spending the night, oh I wish that I was looking into your eyes, looking into your eyes, looking into your eyes... Oh won't you walk through... and bust in the door and take me away, no more mistakes, 'cause in your eyes I'd like to stay... stay..."_

After the last few strums, the song ended and Kairi was practically in tears herself. The crowd roared and the cameras zoomed in on the faces of Kairi, Sora and Cloud and displayed their reactions on individual panels. Unable to contain himself, Sora ran onto the stage and stood face to face with Kairi. Everyone cheered even louder at this.

At that moment, he wanted to kiss her more than anything else.

But he couldn't. She said herself that she wasn't sure if the song was meant to be romantic or not, so he hugged her as tight as he possibly could. Wolf-whistles and squeals filled the stadium while Zidane and Vaan pelvic thrusts in the background. Cloud just chose to walk away.

"Yeah Sora! Get some!" A random guy yelled while waving around his shirt.

"Sora..." She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him with the same amount of force he did. To them, nothing else existed. It was just them and no one else. It was just their own little sanctuary where they basked in each other's presence.

"Kairi," Sora whispered in her ear, "Thank you."

* * *

_23 missed calls  
__3 missed texts_

_Text received from_ **Hayner Arundel:  
**Dude, pick up your phone.

_Text received from_ **Hayner Arundel:  
**PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONE.

_Text received from_ **Hayner Arundel:  
**K, nvm. Nami wants to c u. We're at the stadium. Theres 2 many ppl here. idk if she can take it. come find us soon.

Roxas didn't know what to feel at that moment. He was overcome with happiness that Namine wanted to see him, but his heart ached at the possibility of her getting hurt. He had to go find her, btu how could he? There were thousands of teenagers in the stadium. Dangerous teenagers.

_Hayner could have at least gave us a meeting spot,_ He growled.

"Roxas," Sora called from the curtains, "The results are ready."

Sighing, Roxas got up from the amplifier bed and placed his cellphone in his pocket, _Just wait a bit more, Namine._

The style of voting for Battle of The Bands was different this time round. When 3 bands were left, voting switched to sudden death. Each teenager would text in their vote within 15 minutes and the results would be read by Zidane and Vaan in a dramatic fashion.

Now, The Oathkeepers went onstage next to The Advent Children and The Gullwings, greeted by applause. Yuna performed her 1000 Words performance flawlessly for her band. The Oathkeepers watered the audience's eyes, Kairi made them cry, but Yuna made them bawl. This fact sent nervous shockwaves throughout Axel's body. He already lost Larxene; if he lost this competition, he'd lose his future, too.

"We'll be fine." Sora mouthed for reassurance. Axel just nodded doubtfully.

"The results are in," Zidane announced with Vaan by his side at center stage, "Dim the lights." The sound and light crew did just that with suspenseful music in the background.

"What the-? I can't see sh**!" Selphie whined in the crowd.

Hayner shushed her, "They're about to start the elimination. Come on, let's keep moving."

"Three bands left, but only two can survive." Zidane began in a deep, mysterious voice, "Which one will fall into the depths of despair? Which two still have a chance at the record deal and the prize money? Who will rise from the-"

Vaan cut him off and took the envelope and mic from him, "Dude, get it going. The band that will definetely have another shot at performing on this stage is..." Slowly, and _very_ slowly, Vaan opened the envelope. Teens screamed for their favoured band, but only one came out of Vaan's mouth, "The Advent Children! Congratulations on having the most votes!"

The camera zoomed in on Kairi's flabbergasted face. While Yuffie and the others gave each other high fives and hugs to the other bands behind her, she could only look towards Sora. He, Axel and Roxas were giving her very anxious thumbs ups.

"Yeah Kairi!" She lost sight of the boys when Zack spun her in the air and congratulated her. In the next second, she found herself backstage with the rest of the Advent Children, watching the final elimination. The Gullwings were all hand in hand with their eyes shut while Sora, Roxas and Axel had their arms over each other's shoulders.

"You ready?" Axel didn't like the way Vaan's face looked just then. He knew which band would win. Nonetheless, the pyromaniac nodded anyway. With a nod, Vaan continued, "And the band... that will be advancing to the final round is..."

_This is it..._ Sora prayed that his performance was enough. He watched Kairi who reassured him from behind a curtain. Roxas hopelessly tried to find Namine in the crowd, but all he could see was black and a few camera flashes. Axel squinted from the light in his eyes and desperately wished Larxene was somewhere near. Hayner, Olette, Namine and Selphie had their fingers crossed. Riku and Xion watched from the television at home. Teens continued to chant.

Vaan took a deep breath and yelled into the mic, "The Gullwings!"

The hearts of three boys stopped before they broke into uncountable pieces.

_This is Shiki Masaki reporting for the KH R radio station! I'm still here at the stadium and I can't believe what just happened! The crowd is as shocked as I am! The Oathkeepers have been eliminated from the competition! I repeat, THE OATHKEEPERS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE COMPETITION!_

"Guys, I'm so sorry." Tidus as well as the other members of The Gullwings gave Axel and the twins some hugs and pats on the back. They tried their best to return them but were still paralyzed from the shock.

They were done. Out. They weren't going to get a record deal and they wouldn't get the prize money. Roxas saw his best friend in agony and Axel lost everything he hoped for. Sora failed them both.

As an inspiring video of their Battle of The Bands journey played on the panels, the heartbroken lead singer ran backstage without hesitation. Before Kairi could stop him, he rammed himself into the wall and punched his right fist continously on said wall, "I'm such a failure! I can't do anything right! This is all my fault!"

"Sora, shh, shh," Kairi embraced him from behind and pressed her ear against his back; his body was warm and shaking, "It's not your fault, it's okay."

"It is," He cried, "I should've tried harder... I should've done better! I should've been the one to keep us in the competition! It was all up to me! I failed us! I... I gave hope to us and destroyed it! Th-those disappointed looks on their faces... _I_ did that!"

"Sora," She turned him to look at her- she was faced with a crying Sora. It hurt so much seeing him that way. "This isn't like you. You always told me that trying was worth something. You did your best, Sora. Everything will be okay. Roxas and Axel will be okay."

The only thing he did was rest his head on her shoulder and cry even more, "I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I never wanted you to see me like this. I... I can't be strong for you right now. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," She felt his arms snake around her waist as she stroked his hair, "I'm here, Sora. I'm here. It's going to be okay..." _If I had never performed this week... would they have stayed? They could have stayed... and Sora wouldn't be like this... this... this is my fault..._

It wasn't long before Kairi started crying, too.

x

To Namine, everything was moving in slow motion. While Olette, Selphie and Hayner were frozen, everyone around her was either screaming, taking their shirts off, waving around glowy sticks, taking pictures, crying or giving her either odd or seductive looks. There was so many of them- they stretched on for what seemed like miles. Some of them had odd piercings here and there while others wore too much make-up. Namine had never seen people look like that before. Judging by their behaviour, she classified them to be dangerous in her opinion. They could all hurt her. She hadn't been this scared of the outdoors in her life. People in Twilight Town always looked so welcoming.

She looked towards the panels where the cameras zoomed in on Roxas' ghost-like face. The colour had been drained out of him unlike the time they had first met. Her sworn protector was too heartbroken to protect her now. She was so far from him- she couldn't reach him. He couldn't reach her. He couldn't protect her.

"Namine?" She could hardly make out Selphie's hand in front of her face. She was trembling and felt extremely nauseous. "Are you okay?" The blonde shook her head, clutched her chest and breathed heavily.

"Oh my_ gosh_," Olette looked terrified, "She's having a panic attack! Hayner, Selphie, do any of you have the syringe needed to-"

"No!" Selphie panicked and searched her purse, "I didn't think of packing any! Goodness, Nami, I am _so_ sorry!" Hayner just held his hands up in surrender.

"Hayner, call or text Roxas _now_," Olette demanded, "Selphie, get a medic. There should be one around here. I'll calm her down, understand?" The three dispersed and followed orders.

"Namine, look at me!" The brunette took her by the shoulders, "Namine! You'll be okay, I promise! Everything will be just fine!"

The artist could faintly remember Olette comforting her for a few minutes before her vision worsened. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was a sharp pain on her thigh, a flash of sunkist blond hair and an angelic voice telling her that everything would be okay.

* * *

_Hey everyone, this is DJ Demyx again from the KH R radio station. I'm sure you've all heard of the tragic news regarding The Oathkeepers. I feel like KH R should show some recognition so I'll dedicate this next track to them. Here's to you, Oathkeepers. I'll be playing your recorded tracks later on tonight but until then, enjoy Jessie J's fresh new song 'Who You Are'._

_I stare at my reflection in the mirror  
__Why am I doing this to myself?  
__Losing my mind on a tiny error  
__I nearly left the real me on the shelf  
__No, no, no, no, no..._

_Don't lose who you are in the blur of the stars  
__Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing  
__It's okay not to be okay  
__Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart  
__Tears don't mean you're losing, everybody's bruising  
__Just be true to who you are_

* * *

At the hospital, Roxas was lifeless and worried sick, Namine was unconcious, Sora and Kairi blamed themselves for The Oathkeeper's downfall, Axel was even more faithless and depressed, Xion was desperate to prove her innocence, Riku's heart ached for Xion and Selphie, Olette and Hayner felt guilty for not being able to take care of Namine. Everything went bad for them so fast that it was hard to keep up with. It was like they lost who they really were.

"Well isn't this quite the opposite of when we first met." Said a familiar voice at the doorway.

"Aqua," Kairi raised her head from her hands; the rest of the household did this as well, "What are you doing here?"

"I figured that after what happened at Battle of The Bands, you'd forget that I wanted to meet up with all of you as soon as possible." Everyone was surprised to find that she was alone when she walked in. She positioned herself by a table in the corner and opened her laptop, "So I had to find you myself."

"This must be important if you came to see us yourself." Sora sat upright from his previous planking position.

"Oh, it is," Aqua reassured while typing a few words, "I know all hope seems lost right now, but hopefully what I'm about to show you will restore it."

"Really," Hayner snorted, "_You're_ going to restore hope? After everything you've done?"

"I can try." Aqua countered. Then she began pacing, "I've been working on this video all day, trying to piece it together. Ever since Ultimecia became your interviewer, Pence, Ventus and I became suspicious. When we had the chance, we followed them yesterday. We got some footage that you might find interesting. And after the scene between Axel and Larxene at the anniversary, we also decided to follow you home. We were worried and we sensed something was up. We were right. Ultimecia was behind the whole thing. I know it seems a little creepy that we spied on you, but you'll be grateful for this. Trust me. There's more to this than meets the eye."

When she hit play, things changed.

In the span of three minutes, Ultimecia's plan was revealed. She worked with Fuu and Rai from the beginning. One by one they destroyed the people closest to Sora to break him. They were the ones who scared everyone in the household. They were the ones who turned Larxene against Axel by showing her pictures and telling her lies. They were the ones who poisoned Kairi. They were the ones who poured some sort of liquid into Roxas' drink at the anniversary to ake hi drowsy. They were the ones who kept Xion distracted so that Fuu could disguise herself as her and kiss Roxas. It was all them.

"Those sons of-..." Axel clenched his fists, "When I get my hands on them I swear... and Roxas," He gagged, "Burn your freaking lips. You kissed freaking_ Fuujin_." Roxas felt like throwing up, too, but he was so relieved that there was proof.

"Xion, I owe you an apology." Sora offered his hand- she shook it with a grin. It was like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders when everyone also began apologizing. With one video, things were beginning to clear up.

"We should tell the authorities about this." Riku suggested.

"Already have," Aqua proudly placed her hands on her hips, "I showed Solice the video not too long ago and he's already got a squad searching for them. Ultimecia won't be bothering you anymore."

"Huh," Sora tapped his chin, "Funny how the ones who destroyed us can be our only hope to fix everything."

"You did good, Aqua." Selphie complimented, "I'm impressed."

Their feel good moment ended when Namine began to wake up.

"She's been meaning to see Roxas for awhile now." Said Olette, "We should leave." Everyone did just that and took the seats outside the room.

"Aqua," Roxas called, "Can you leave the laptop please? I think Namine would want to see it."

"Of course, Roxas." The lavender-haired woman left with a smile on her face. When the door shut, the younger twin turned his attention onto his waking girlfriend.

"R... Roxas..." She said hoarsely, reaching out to touch his face. He was finally within reach and could protect her.

"Namine," He let out a half laugh and a sob of relief while holding her outstretched hand, "Hey." After one day of not talking or holding each other, they had to admit that they missed it dearly.

"Where am I? I feel... dizzy." He helped her sit up while offering her a bottle of water.

"In the east hospital. You just had a panic attack at the stadium so a medic had to knock you out with a syringe."

"O-oh..." She looked down at her frail hands and balled her fists. It was now or never. She could make Kairi's mistake or choose her own path. She chose her own.

"I need to tell you something." They said in unison.

"Y-you first." Namine offered.

"All right," Roxas let go of her hand and took the laptop. He sat on the edge of her bed and flipped it on, "I thought you might want to see this. Aqua caught footage showing that my kiss with Xion was fake and-"

She shushed him with a finger to his lips, "Wait, Roxas, if you're going to do this, let me go first. I don't need proof to tell me that the kiss was fake." She slowly shut the laptop and caressed his face, "You're my boyfriend. I trust you and have enough faith in you to know that you wouldn't do something like that. I'm sorry I didn't realize that sooner. I overreacted, I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you sooner, but... I was so scared and you were so far... this one day without you was so heartbreaking, so... if it isn't too much trouble... can you forgive me?"

Roxas sighed in relief and tossed the laptop aside before bringing her into a bone crushing hug, "Of course, Namine."

"Can we be in love again?" She mumbled into his shirt.

"I don't think we've stopped, my love." As if it were rehearsed, their lips met in a blissful kiss. God, how they missed that.

"A-and I'm sorry about Battle of The Bands..." She said aftterwards.

"I'm not," He pressed their foreheads together and kissed her quickly, "I got the real prize."

x

"Huh," Sora's lips curved into a smile as he watched the scene through the glass windows, "Maybe everything will be okay. Things seem to be working out for Roxas and Namine. We've also got Ultimecia out of our hands."

"But it still doesn't make up for Battle of The Bands." Axel grumbled, "If you haven't noticed, I'm broke and Larxene wants to rip my head off."

"Let's try to stop dwelling on the fact that we lost and focus on how we're going to fix it." Said Sora, his morale restoring.

Kairi took his words to heart and nodded, "So what do you propose we do?"

"Get the money." Sora said it as if it were easy, "If we get the money, we can help support Axel's family and Larxene would take him back after all the effort."

"Do you think _1,000,000 _munny will just pop out of nowhere?" Hayner snorted.

"Obviously not," Riku rolled his eyes, "What Sora's trying to say is that we should raise the munny somehow."

Aqua aknowledged the idea, "That's good! There's so many opportunities to win munny on this island. The sports festival starts tomorrow, too. You guys are pretty athletic-" Everyone looked at Hayner and stifled their laughter- he crossed his arms and huffed, "-well, some of you. I hear the volleyball competition alone can get you 50, 000 munny."

"There was that Underworld Coliseum Tournament thing too, right?" Axel remembered; he seemed to be catching on with the idea, "You could win like 250, 000 munny. Sounds like a good deal."

"That's the spirit, Axel!" Sora cheered, "So what do you say, will you guys help? Two weeks of vacation left; I think we can do it!"

"If we fall together, then we rise together," Hayner oustretched his hand, "I'm in."

Kairi stood from her seat with a giggle, "Ohana means family." Everyone joined in to help her finish the famous quote, "And family means nobody gets left behind."

"I guess this settles it. We're not giving up." Sora proudly slapped his hand on top of everyone else's, "As they say; the show must go on!"

**In the next chapter:**

_"Kairi, I hate to say this, but... you're gonna have to take your shirt off."_

_"I never thought I'd be fighting side by side with you, Riku."_

_"What if this is just a summer love?"_

_"Just whack him in the balls!"_

_"Can you forgive me, Ventus?"_

_"I just want someone to be afraid of losing me."_

* * *

**ALREADY THE SHOW GOES ON ALL NIGHT, 'TIL THE MORNING WE DREAM SO LONG, ANYBODY EVER WONDER WHEN THEY WOULD SEE THE SUN UP? JUST REMEMBER WHEN YOU COME UP THE SHOW GOES ON ALL RIGHT!**

**Now that I got that out of my system (seriously that song has been in my head for awhile now... I thought it kinda matched the last part :P), I can apologize for the late update (I also apologize for the length- I don't have a word count on this application -_-). Well, not really. It's only been two weeks haha. But considering that I'm on vacation, it's pretty late. Anyway I'm blabbering here. Just to let you guys know, the story will get much happier and faster from here because lately I've noticed that my chapters have been really slow and long... that came out wrong. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. I've also made slight modifications to the first few chapters of this story. I straightened out some errors and whatnot just to make it better :) And I know Roxas and Namine only broke up for a day but I didn't want them to be one of those "JUST GET BACK TOGETHER ALREADY" couples like Sora and Kairi. We've got enough of that :P**

**So as you all know, I spend my summers in Maryland with my cousins. Well, I'm there right now :) What I find cool is that everytime I'm here, my country on my profile page switches to USA x) Anyway, I've been here for about two weeks now and I'm having the time of my life. No drama, no school, just partying, writing and hanging out with friends :D A week ago we shot each other with nerf guns at a party and turned the game into some real life version of nazi zombies. COD fans, be jealous 'cause it was freaking awesome ;D **

**I also saw X-Men first class. Guys, it's a BA movie. I recommend you watch it. It's BAD. A**.**

**Other than the wild adventures, my new story can be blamed for the late update. A few days ago I went to the Naval Academy and got inspired. My new story will be a mini project with about 10 chapters or so. I decided to write about the idea of Sora's Kingdom Hearts adventure being a dream. It's not official yet, but I'm working on the first chapter. I might post a preview sometime to see if you guys like it. I've also been drawing and painting a lot lately so you can blame visual art, too, hehe.**

**And lately I've been _freaking out_. Why? Two reasons. One, Otakon's coming up in a few days. Raves, panels, cosplays- three days of epic awesomeness baby! And two. Holy sh** guys. 50 reviews for that last chapter. FIFTY! But sadly, I can't reply to them. Not that I don't want to, it's just that I'm using my cousin's laptop and I don't want to hog it for too long. I don't have internet on mine so I have to use hers and replying usually takes me a few hours :S But if you really want to talk to me about something (like if youre confused because tbh im not very fond of this chapter), don't hesitate to message me. But since I can't reply, I'll thank all of you :) *cries tears of joy***

**Wait, she's playing JAK3 on the ps2. Maybe I can re- nope, nevermind. This thing's running out of battery and I have no idea where the plug is and I WANT TO UPDATE FOR YOUU. ****Also, special thanks to Squall's Kid for being the 800th reviewer! Wow guys. 800+ reviews. Changed my life, srsly. You're so nice T-T**

**Thanks to: **Kurt The Mortician, Sunset of Eternity, Allers3, Scribbles I, Artism, BuBuBoom, (um this person didn't put a name D:), RedSeaGlassStories, Little Super Toaster x, Fuline Lite, Redeeming Endeavor (by the way, about your review, the teenage Jesus thing made me laugh xD But if you must ask, I think there are a few things Sora can't do. He can't cook, he can't take mirror mazes and... he can't... er, not love Kairi. K i got desperate on that last one lol), ChuckleBunny, tehoddone, Fuline Lite to lazy to log in (LOL), TheMaskedGirl, AnimeGurl0130, AKAAkira, Nikolas Sur, ChocoIsu, paopu-fruit-to-go, InfinityStream, Aurtus, SuGinsomnia, Sookdeo, inspirexx, Squall's Kid, Tyjet Ansatsu, Wishful Thoughts, Sunshinemeg82, MusicalSage, XxHarukoChanxX, Noobster, The Traveler, xCarryOnDancingx, Crayfish, One Sky One Dream One Destiny, Q-A The Authoress, Craxuan, Rytex, LittleKeybladeNinja, CupcakeLerman, xLycheeRAiN, beckster411, Moon Princess 016, ShadowSpooky, DestinyKeyblader28, LaceInPink, Lupus7 and Phenomenon45

**Wow guys. Thank you so much for all those reviews. I promise you that the story does get better from here and, sadly, it's almost done. I think it only has around 5 chapters left :( But this has been an incredible journey- wait, no. I'm saving the cheesy speech for the end :P For now, enjoy your summer vacation guys, I know I will! Please review, sorry for any grammar errors, I appreciate all your support and I'll update as soon as I can!**

**xoKyorii**


	28. Blitzkrieg

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** . ©

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

**CHARACTERS:**

**Yoshiya Kiryu (Stage 1): **Neku's best friend. Age 17.

**PLACES:**

**Sunset Hill:** The largest hill in Twilight Town where the most established and wealthiest people live.

**OTHER:**

**Battle of The Brains:** An intelligence contest that branches out into various categories and requires teams of three.

**Lernaean Hydra:** Known as the 'water serpent' in Greek and is a water beast with many heads.

* * *

**. Chapter XXVIII .**

_**. Blitzkrieg .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"Yeah, well, everybody deserves more than one chance. Even you."_

_Your future is bright._

Axel stared at the small card and chuckled lightly. He waved it around and shook his head before putting it into his pocket, "I like the sound of that. I sure hope you're right."

"Axel," Roxas called from the end of the tunnel; he noticed the machine to his best friend's left, "A Genie machine? Really? Never thought you'd be the type for fortunes."

"Yeah, well," He let out an impolite burp before throwing an empty can of Quash into the trash can, "I figured I've got nothing to lose. Might as well try it, right?"

"How'd it go?"

Axel skillfully tossed the card to him in a frisbee-like fashion. Roxas caught it in between his index and middle fingers and gave him a sly smirk after he read it, "Well, isn't that a coincidence. I think this fortune's pretty accurate."

The redhead rolled his eyes and took the card back, "Whatever. Let's just hope it's right." The two made their way out of the tunnel full of vending machines and into the west beach where the sun shone straight into their faces. There were teens surrounding the boardwalk filled with shops and the beach. Majority were spectating the many stations for the sports festival that was about to begin.

Roxas smelt the fresh beach air, stretched and let out a relaxed sigh, "I have a good feeling about today."

"So do I," Sora came out of nowhere and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, "You ready for some volleyball?"

"You know it." The twins bumped fists and gave Axel a thumbs up in unison.

"After volleyball I'll be doing that Olympus Tournament," Sora grinned, "Lightning and Hope offered to help with that one. But it's done in pairs and I've yet to find a partn-"

"I'll do it." Offered an approaching Riku. Behind him was their entire household as well as Tidus'. Aqua, Pence and Ventus were there, too. With Ultimecia out of their hair, it didn't take much thought to make them their interview crew again.

"Riku, really?" Sora jumped back in disbelief.

The albino haired boy outstretched his hand with a smirk, "Why not? I want to help, too."

The brunet shook his hand without hesitation; they too had grown so much, "Thanks."

"Uh, hello? We're here too!" Tidus stomped his foot, feeling neglected. The Gullwings agreed on helping the Hikari household raise munny for Axel. They felt guilty for the Battle of The Bands incident and immediately offered their sevices. They heartily accepted- they needed all the help they could get.

"I'll be taking blitzball with Tidus later, yeah!" Wakka spun said blitzball on his finger.

The shaggy blonde winked and showed off his board, "I'll take on surfing and wake boarding this morning."

"I'll be joining a singing contest later on today." Yuna said happily.

Rikku skipped next to her and struck a pose, "We'll also join a dance contest!" Paine just stood still. It was needless to say that she was just going to watch.

"Roxas and I have struggle!" Hayner waved around his plastic bat proudly, "Man I can't wait to use this baby again! Wa-chaaaa~!" The poor gamer ran away screaming when he realized that he accidentally whacked Riku in the head.

"Hayner, Xion and I will be joining Battle of The Brains." Said Olette, "Then chess, too."

"Swimming isn't for another two days, but I'll see what I can do today!" Kairi bounced optimistically.

"I'll be joining a few art competitions." Namine bowed with her leather bound sketchbook.

"Ven, Terra and I are pretty good tennis players so I guess we'll go for that," Aqua offered, "We were also trained to use keyblades since we were kids, so I guess we'll join the keyblade competition tomorrow. Maybe Sora can join us, too. We've seen him whip that hunk of metal around. He's a natural."

"Sure, sounds fun." The brunet punched an enthusiastic fist in the air, "I'll play volleyball, win that tournament with Riku, play soccer with Roxas and take on basketball and blitzball with Tidus and Wakka later. I'll definetely do swimming with Kairi in a few days, too."

"Sora and I will take on beach volleyball first," Roxas began counting his fingers, "Then I'll do karate, struggle, hurdles, skateboarding, lacrosse and soccer." Everyone twitched- poor Roxas was going to be extremely soar by the end of the day.

"I'm here for moral support!" Selphie lifted up two pompoms and shook them.

"And this is just day one." Sora winked.

"Wow," Axel rubbed the back of his head, "Thanks, guys... this, uh... means a lot."

"You'll have to forgive him," Roxas five-starred his best friend across the back, "He's not good when it comes to feel-good speeches."

"Don't push it." The pyromaniac muttered while giving him a playful shove.

"Ladies and gentlemen," The deep voice of Cid Raines boomed across the entire beach; he was speaking on a podium with a bullhorn wirelessly connected to every speaker in hand, "Let the Kingdom Hearts Resort Sports festival... begin!"

x

After the opening ceremony, Roxas and Sora went straight to the beach volleyball station. Elevated benches were placed around multiple arenas (or in this case, nets) and were designed for certain divisions. Sora and Roxas participated under the male doubles division and, as expected, they breezed through the competition and managed to make it to the semi-finals in under two hours.

"Man this is getting serious." Roxas gulped down his fourth water bottle and practically tore off his black wife beater.

"Tell me about it." Sora did exactly what his brother did and stripped down to his navy blue swimming trunks. Roxas wore the same design but in red. This scene caused quite a commotion between fangirls. Even if they were out of the competition their fans remained faithful.

"Man I could get used to this view." Atop the bleachers sat Selphie, Kairi and Namine for support. Selphie was currently looking through a pair of binoculars and checked out the, er... competition. She then came across Roxas and Sora and wolf whistled, "Woo~ If you two didn't call dibs on those two, I'd totally date them. They are_ hot_."

"Those girls seem to think so, too." Kairi crushed her paopu smoothie and growled as half-naked girls swarmed around Sora and offered him drinks.

"Aww, is Kaiwi Wovewock jeawous?" Selphie teased. Namine was chuckling lightly, too.

"I am _not_ jealous," Kairi claimed fakely, "It's just... look at those girls! They're throwing themselves all over him! It's disgusting."

"Hey girls," Roxas jogged up the bleachers and tossed a towel over his shoulder, "How's it going?"

Namine perked up at the sight of her boyfriend, "Great!" Kairi smiled at this; she was glad things were working out for her cousin.

He took the seat next to her and sweetly pecked her lips, "Care to tell me why it's great? Other than seeing me, of course."

She rolled her eyes playfully, "Well, during the opening ceremony, there was this sandcastle sculpting contest that I joined. The results just came in and," She excitedly showed Roxas the screen on his iPad that she was using, "I won! That makes 2,000 munny for us so far!"

"That's my girl!" Roxas kissed her again and placed an arm over her small shoulders before turning to the BFFLs, "What about you two?"

"We're good," Kairi returned to her bubbly persona to make her jealousy less evident, "You and Sora are doing great out there!"

He laughed at his brother's future girlfriend, "You're jealous of those girls surrounding him, aren't you?"

"Yeah, they clearly have no respect for the fact that you called dibs on him with that song yesterday!" Acted Selphie.

"I can't win with you guys." Kairi tossed her hands into the air and hung her head down.

"Woo, hey guys." A very sweaty Sora fanned himself as he made his way towards them. Luckily the fangirls didn't follow. It probably had something to do with the fact that Kairi was staring them down from her seat.

"Well speak of the devil." Roxas winked at Kairi. Selphie purposely made room for Sora to sit beside Kairi (Roxas gave her a high five for this).

"I'm hungry and tired!" Sora whined and plopped down on said space as he ran his hands through his sweat-infested hair.

"I thought you'd say that." Kairi took a cooler from the bottom of the bleachers and offered him some sea-salt ice cream.

"Oh my gosh," He gratefully took it from her with sparkling eyes, "I freaking love you."

"Well, well." Selphie smirked slyly.

Roxas caught her drift, "Isn't that sweet? Sora's got at least twenty girls offering him food and drinks down there and he only accepts the one from Kairi."

Sora narrowed his eyes, "I seriously don't get why you guys bother teasing me. You already know I like her." Hearing him say it so confidently made Kairi shudder in pleasure.

"Oh we know," Selphie sang, gesturing her binoculars towards a red faced Kairi, "We're just waiting for this one to 'fess up."

"Selphie!" Kairi scolded.

"Don't listen to them Kairi," Sora popped the cold treat into his mouth, "You can take all the time you want."

"Just do it before I'm dead." Roxas muttered. Namine lightly elbowed him.

"The semi-final round for male doubles will begin momentarily." Said the announcer with a megaphone.

"Break's over." Roxas squeezed his girlfriend before running back onto the sandy court.

"Yup, see ya," Sora saluted to the girls and began running down the steps until he turned around and looked at Kairi one more time. With the popsicle half-finished in his mouth, he said with an adorable pink tint on his cheeks, "Hey Kai, you know, you're _really _good at volleyball. Maybe you and I should try competing in the doubles division where they have boy girl pairs. Co-ed doubles. We have a pretty good shot at winning. It'll be good for the fund raising, too, so... it's just an idea." He left before she could even respond.

It was something to consider. Volleyball was the only sport she was good at save swimming. The last time she played volleyball seriously was at her championship game last year for school that took place in Traverse Town- no, correction; it was when Aqua forced her and Sora to participate in those 'get along' games with everyone last month. She and Sora actually did really well together- and that was back then when she hated him. If they did amazing when she hated him, she wondered how epic they'd be when she liked him.

_Liked_ him.

Exactly what kind of _like _was she talking about here? The answer she was leaning towards made her blush. Should she do it?

"Ooh, you should go for it," Selphie wooted, "You and Sora sweating half-naked together on a court- hot _damn _that's gonna cause a lot of sexual tension! Oh baby~!" Selphie stopped when she caught Kairi glaring at her, "Ahahaha, I'm gonna go by some lemonade. But seriously. You should do it. You win MVP every year and Sora's a freaking tank."

When Selphie left, Namine poked her cousin's shoulder, "I think you should do it, Kairi. N-not for the same reasons Selphie has in mind, but for Axel. Sora's right; you're very good at volleyball. You can win together."

_Together_, she shuddered.

"I'll think about it." Kairi crossed her legs and watched the semi-final game. She knew Sora and Roxas were good, but she didn't think they were _that _good. It was like they could read each other's tactics- they were twins, after all. But what caught Kairi's attention was their form. It was perfect. The way their biceps stretched to overhand serve the ball, the way their muscles tightened for a spike... it was all so mesmerizing. Especially when Sora-

_Oh God, stop_. Kairi commanded herself. She watched as her fist clenched into a ball to resist the unecessary thoughts. A few centimeters away from her fist were Selphie's binoculars left unattended. They were right there, taunting her... _I really shouldn't_.

Two seconds later she found herself eyeing up Sora's, er, _movements_ in HD through the lenses.

"Enjoying the view?" Selphie sipped on her lemonade while wiggling her eyebrows.

Kairi immediately put them back down and blushed in the other direction, "Shut up."

* * *

_**1 new voicemail  
**__**4 new text messages**_

_Hey Axel! Sora here. Guess what? Roxas and I won first place for male doubles! In beach volleyball, if you're thinking dirty. That makes 50,000 munny for us so far! Yeah baby! And I think Kairi and I can get us another 50,000 by competing in the co-ed doubles division. I'll tell you how that goes after. Wish us luck! See ya man! End of message. To delete, press-_

_Text received from _**Tidus Clearwater:  
**Hey Axel. 2nd place in surfing. sorry its not 1st but i won 25,000 munny :)

_Text received from_ **Bromance Brother:  
**Waddup bffl? Sora and I pwned in male doubles :D I'm talking abt volleyball, if ur thinking dirty. Nami won this art thing 2 so we've got 52,000 here :)

_Text received from_ **Demyx TheFag:  
**I'm bored ):

_Text received from_ **Hayner Arundel:  
**Lette won the geography category in battle of the brains. 10,000 munny here.

Axel grinned in satisfaction at the news (minus the one from Demyx). It had only been two and a half hours since the group dispersed and- if he did the math correctly (he should've... he was using the calculator on his phone)- his team had raised 87,000 munny.

_Not bad, _He flipped his phone shut and placed it in the pocket of his cargo pants, "Not bad at all."

The drummer was currently participating in disc golf where he was on the verge of winning first place. With his experience with frisbees and chakrams, this was practically nothing to him. He casually tossed the disc and watched as it made a perfect spin towards the chains.

Life was good._ I'm on my way, Larxene..._

x

"Ready, Kairi?"

"Hm?" The redhead couldn't remember how or when she got on the sandy volleyball court, but she was there nonetheless. All she remembered was Selphie frantically yelling at her to join the volleyball competition, a fist, then everything else was a blur... When she woke up she was still wearing the swimsuit she put on under her clothes this morning but was dressed in a completely different second layer. She was wearing her _very_ short, tight volleyball shorts from her school team with her own matching pink tank top. Kairi growled; Selphie _had_ to pick the sports tank that clung onto her skin uncomfortably when she sweat too much. She'd have to take it off sometime later to cool off.

"Kai?" A shirtless Sora waved a hand in her face.

She blushed, "Y-yeah. Ready."

The audience cheered when the two positioned themselves on the court. While Kairi tied her hair into a high ponytail, the announcer began to introduce the players, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first co-ed doubles beach volleyball match of the KHR Sports Festival. For our first match we have Sora Hikari and Kairi Lovelock versus Stella Fleuret and Noctis Caelum."

Before the match started Kairi stared down Selphie who gave her a thumbs-up from the bleachers. Namine and Roxas also supported her with the same gesture. Kairi pointed at her top in disgust. Her best friend merely winked and did a few pelvic thrusts. After rolling her eyes, the volleyball immediately whacked her in the head. The crowd leaned back and 'ooh'd'.

"Kairi," Sora placed a caring hand in her soft hair, "You okay? Sorry, but we have to focus if we want to win."

"I-I know. Sorry." Sora nodded and ran back up to the front. Looking at his tired, yet determined face made her feel guilty, _If I hadn't performed last night we wouldn't even be in this mess._

In slow motion, Kairi watched Sora volley Stella's serve and motion her to hit it over the net. She didn't get it in time. The only thing she could see was Sora's worn out face and the ball falling in front of her, _This is my fault..._

The audience aww'd.

"Come on Kairi!" Selphie screeched from the bleachers, foam finger in hand, "Focus! FOCUS! YOU GOT THIS!" Sora turned to the referee and motioned for a time out with his hands.

"But the game just started!" The teen in the striped shirt whined.

"It'll be quick, I promise." Sora ran over to Kairi, took her by the wrist and pulled her over to one of the nearby tents in the area, "Kairi, what's wrong? Do you feel forced or-"

"It's not that, Sora," She shook her head, "I'm sorry. I've just been thinking, and... it's just... if I hadn't performed yesterday and kicked The Oathkeepers out, we wouldn't be raising tons of munny for Axel and you wouldn't be tiring yourself out and trying so hard."

"Kairi," He cupped her face in his warm hands, "You seriously think it's _your_ fault?" He let out a half-laugh when she nodded, "That's absurd. It's most definetely _not_ your fault. Your performance was one of the greatest moments of my life." When a ghost of a smile appeared on her crestfallen face, Sora began to smile too, "Listen Kai, we're in this together. Remember what I said yesterday? Let's stop thinking about the fact that we lost and focus on how we're going to fix this. We got this, Kairi. I know you can do it."

"O-okay." She nearly lost her breath at the amount of faith radiating from him.

"Good girl. Now let's kick some bumbums!" He triumphantly ran through the tent entrance with Kairi in hand and returned to the court filled with applause. He nodded at the referee to tell him they were ready. The game commenced immediately after that. Stella served it to the back towards Kairi.

_Focus, Kairi, focus. You're an islander from Destiny Islands. You were born with volleyball and swimming. You were trained for this! You can do this! You were born for this! _The redhead's attempts of pumping herself up didn't exactly work when she bumped the ball out of bounds- _behind _her. The crowd aww'd once again. They looked disappointed.

Sora didn't, though.

"You can do it." He mouthed to her with a heartwarming smile. She was still a bit wobbley, but she nodded at him nonetheless. Stella served again; this time, it was for Sora. He volleyed it upward towards the center- Kairi knew immediately what she had to do. Spike it.

_You were born with volleyball,_ She repeated while running forward, _You were trained for this at school, Kairi. Focus! _She lifted herself off the ground and raised her right wrist, _You can do this! _The instant she made contact with the ball, Noctis, who was positioned in the front, was knocked to the ground and dizzy from the ball that hit him extremely hard on the head. Applause rung heavily in Kairi's ears after she realized that _she _was the one who unbelievably spiked it at his head.

"_That's _what I'm talking about!" She was lifted off the ground by a very proud and excited Sora.

"Yeah Kairi! You go girl!" Roxas formed a circle with his thumb and index finger and whistled into it. Selphie joined him by waving around her foam finger. Namine waved around a supportive sign.

"All right," Noctis dusted the sand off his hair and knees before cracking his knuckles, "Game time."

"We can do this Kai," After the brunet placed her back down, he shook her hand and squeezed it, "We're in this together."

Kairi squeezed his even tighter and, with a determined smile, she raised their hands in unison, "Together."

* * *

"What is the name and inscription on Lightning's first given weapon in Final Fantasy XIII?"

_**BEEP**_, "Blazefire Saber. The inscription inside it reads, '_White flash. Call upon my name'_."

"Correct. After defeating Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts II, which keyblade do you obta-"

_**BEEP, **_"Fenrir."

"Correct again, Mr. Arundel. Very impressive. Fifty more points and your team wins 10,000 munny."

The gamer nodded at the host and kept his hand at the ready over the buzzer. He, Olette and Xion were currently competing in the 'Square Enix' category of Battle of The Brains. Since gaming was Hayner's forte, he never gave Olette or Xion a chance to hit the buzzer before he did. He really knew his stuff.

"Wow, he's brilliant." Xion clapped as her blond teammate answered another question correctly.

_Indeed,_ Olette clapped in awe. She never expected Hayner to be as intelligent as he was today. Even if it was his forte, his memorization skills were extremely keen; and that was coming from _Olette Lovet_. With skills like that, he probably did really well in school, too. No offense, but she really didn't see that coming. She was thoroughly impressed. He was cute (though a little competitive), kind-hearted, fun and intelligent. _He is brilliant._

x

Much like Sora and Roxas, the double ex-couple managed to make it to the quarter finals in an hour and a half. Kairi was doing amazing just as Namine, Selphie and her ex-boyfriend predicted. After the little mishap on the first match, every form and move was performed without a single flaw. The redhead immediately got her volleyball mojo back. Things were going so well that she and Sora occassionally danced on the arena when they felt good about certain moves. Exhibit A: Sora's epic tumble in the air before spiking.

Everyone could tell that by the chemistry radiating from the two, Sora and Kairi made the perfect team. Sora could definetely feel the chemistry himself, but Kairi couldn't. She was much too focused on the fact that she could pass out any second due to the tightness of her shirt. She and Sora were sweating practically head-to-toe. She was slightly embarassed that Sora had to see her in such a state, but for Axel, it was worth it.

"Kai, you okay?" After drinking some water himself, he offered the remaining half to Kairi.

She gulped it down five times faster than he did, _I really hate you right now, Selphie..._

_"Ladies and gentlemen, the quarter final match between Sora Hikari and Kairi Lovelock versus Snow Villiers and Serah Farron will begin momentarily."_

"Kairi, you look really hot." Sora then noticed the double meaning of his words when his partner blushed, "I-I mean hot as in... you can barely breath and are gasping for air. B-but you look attractive, too. Y'always do. But anyway... are you okay? Do you need a break?"

"Thanks?" She groaned and fanned herself, "A-and no, I'm okay."

"You are _so_ evil." Roxas smirked from the bleachers while lookng through Selphie's binoculars.

"I know," The owner of the binoculars rubbed their hands together, "Anytime now Kairi will have no choice but to take her shirt off. I swear if I hadn't set this up, she'd be way to embarassed to do it herself!"

_"Let the quarter final match... begin!"_

Sora felt confident enough that Kairi was going to be okay for this round, but he was wrong. Not only was Kairi wobbley and slower this time, but Snow and Serah were_ really_ good. They were probably as good as they were. It was expected seeing that they too grew up on a beach. Volleyball was like breathing for citizens in the seaside city of Bodhum.

"This doesn't look so good." Sora cursed under his breath and watched as Snow gave Serah a slap on the butt for their six-point advantage. When Serah blushed in embarassment, her boyfriend just gave her a seductive smile. _That gives me an idea..._ Sora turned his attention back to the desperate-for-air Kairi. "Iri, you're wearing your swimsuit under those clothes, right?"

She coughed, "Yes, why?"

"Bikini?"

Her face flushed, "Yes..."

Sora grinned like a madman when he saw Snow eyeing up Serah in her one-piece swimsuit, "Perfect." He placed his hands on her sweaty shoulders and said calmly, "Kairi, I hate to say this, but... you're gonna have to take your shirt off." From the top of the bleachers, Roxas, Namine and Selphie shared a three-way high five.

"What?" The redhead fluctuated her arms around like an idiot, "That's... gah! You're such a-"

"Pervert? No, my dear, that's Snow." Sora winked, "Listen, if you take off your shirt, not only will you be able to breath, but you'll distract Snow, too."

Kairi crossed her arms and raised a brow, "Not meaning to sound boastful or anything, but aren't _you_ going to get distracted?"

"Haha. Well, Ms. Kairi, with our numerous-" He cleared his throat, "-_experiences_ from the past, I'd say I'm more used to _it_ than Snow is."

She had never blushed so hard in her life, "Sora..."

"Kairi, please. We have to win this. We've already come so far."

"I... I can't! It's so wrong!" She said in between wheezes.

"Do you hear yourself? You sound like a dying camel. Kai, come on, this is a win-win thing. You get to breathe and we get to win."

"It's win-win because you get to see me half-naked." Kairi muttered. She didn't think Sora could hear her, but he did.

"Yeah, well, that's a bonus, too." He chuckled. She whacked the back of his head, "Yaow! Okay, I deserved that one. But seriously Kairi, come on!"

"Sora, it's mean! It's like... cheating! And it's... wrong! Beach volleyball isn't about the clothes! It's... this is mean!"

"Mean?" Kairi watched her partner approach her with a playful smirk, "You want mean, Kairi? I'll show you mean!" In the next second Sora was violently tickling her sides. Her shrieks of laughter echoed throughout the whole arena, causing everyone to watch. This remained unnoticed by the couple.

"Take... your... shirt... off!" The brunet demanded in between the laughing fit. As he tugged on the ends of her top, he froze in realization. When he stopped, what he dreaded most came true.

People were taking pictures and filming the entire thing.

"In the middle of a volleyball match?" Roxas mocked from the bleachers; he was yelling this against the silence, "Yeah, Sora! GET IT ON! WOO!" He received applause and some wolf-whistles as a response from the audience.

"Ahahaha..." Sora laughed nervously and backed away from the paparazzi, "This isn't what it looks like."

"Say front page!" One of the camera people yelled.

"Oh my gosh..." Kairi buried her face in her hands. If there was a shade of red brighter than Axel's hair, then that was the colour of her face.

"People, people!" The announcer blew a whistle and restored order, "There's a match going on! GET ON WITH IT!"

After a few 'aww's' and the occassional yells of '"Party Pooper!", the match resumed. And, just as Sora requested, Kairi took off her shirt so that he'd stop complaning and cause yet another scene. The arena was filled with wolf-whistles and cheers as the redhead tossed it aside.

"Oh my _gosh_," Kairi stretched her arms, "This feels _so good_! I can breath!" It was needless to say that she wasn't nervous anymore. She never had a problem walking around a beach in her swimsuit anyways, it was just... well, Sora was there.

Speaking of Sora, the air was getting extremely hot for him. He felt the urge to pull on his shirt collar but realized that he couldn't since he wasn't wearing one. Poor Sora was inwardly suffocating. He was starting to think that Kairi taking off her shirt wasn't such a good idea. She looked so... he forced himself to think _cute_ in her red and white striped bikini top. It was his birthday all over again.

_At least she's still got the shorts on,_ Sora facepalmed himself, _But they're hella short... Oh, Kairi..._ His thoughts were stopped when the ball whacked him in the face, "Ow! What the he-"

"Sora!" Kairi waved from the front, "_Focus_!" He gulped and nodded.

"And the sexual tension begins." Selphie leaned back and crossed her arms in satisfaction.

In the end, Sora's plan ended up working after all. Not only was Kairi even faster and stronger than before, but Snow was so distracted that if Lightning came in and stabbed him with her gunblade, he wouldn't notice. Poor Serah had to do all the work and scold her boyfriend afterwards.

It wasn't long before the double ex-couple caught up and advanced to the semi-final round.

"That was great!" After their victory was announced, Kairi threw both of her fists into the air and bounced up and down in joy, "Great job, Sora!"

Sora tried so hard not to gawk at her... development. When she hugged him and brought their chests together, he said _f*** you_ to his teenage hormones. Roxas gave him a thumbs up and a few pelvic thrusts to support his agony while sucking on the stick of a finished sea-salt ice cream.

"Hey Sora," He hadn't even noticed that Kairi pulled away from him, "Can you help me put some sunscreen on my back?"

Sora inhaled sharply, _Ohmyfreakinggosh._

"Wow, she's totally milking this," Selphie laughed at the scene through her binoculars, "You are _so_ sneaky, Kairi." As Sora massaged her shoulders while applying sunscreen, Selphie noticed that his face was red and that he wasn't looking directly at her. Kairi just relaxed into his touch innocently. If Roxas called Selphie evil, then Kairi was the devil herself.

_"The semi-final match between Sora Hikari and Kairi Lovelock versus Shiki Misaki and Neku Sakuraba will begin momentarily."_

The semi-final match passed by faster than the two expected. Neku, regardless of how antisocial and quiet he looked, was just as bad as Snow when it came to the 'distraction'. Shiki had a fun time beating her boyfriend up after that.

_I wonder who the final pair will be_, The couple thought.

_"The final match between Sora Hikari and Kairi Lovelock versus Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart will begin momentarily."_

Of course.

Every phone and camera was immediately pulled out after that announcement. When the other couple arrived at the arena, they shook hands before positioning themselves on the court.

"You better not let us win." Kairi warned Cloud while gripping his hand tightly.

"We won't." He promised.

Sora could already tell that it was going to be a difficult match. Both Cloud and Tifa were extremely fit, and he was pretty darn sure Cloud wasn't going to get distracted by Kairi when his girlfriend was much more... _out there_. He guessed that Tifa decided to distract people, too. But they weren't going to falter here.

"We can take them, Kairi." Sora reassured, "Just focus. You're strong. I'll be right here if anything."

"I know." She high-fived him and kept their hands together, _I can take on anything with you by my side._

* * *

_**2 new text messages  
5 missed calls**__**  
2 new voicemails**_

_Text received from_** Demyx TheFag:  
**Why won't you answer my calls? D: I'm still bored!

_Text received from_ **Ventus Loryn:**  
Won 3rd in tennis singles. 5, 000 munny. Aqua & Terra won 2nd in doubles. 10, 000 from them. I'm abt 2 do male doubles w/ Terra so we can get more!

_Hey Axel! It's Yuna. I won first place in the singing competition! 15, 000 munny from me! I hope that helps! End of messa-_

_Axel, hey... it's Sora. Uh, we have a problem. All this munny in my hands is getting really heavy! YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT! Kairi and I won co-ed doubles! What now, baby, what now? ! WE PWNED! Can you hear the crowd cheering in the background? WOO YEAH! O-oh, here's Kairi! HEY AXEL! WE JUST WON YOU ANOTHER 50, 000 MUNNY! HOPE THAT MAKES YOU PROUD! I SURE AM! Well, Sora has to meet up with Lightning now so we'll catch you later! See ya Axel!_

**BEEP. **_End of messages._

x

"Hayner! Hayner! HAYNER! HAYNER!"

"Wow, I'm _really_ impressed." Roxas clapped along with the crowd while Selphie decided to chant with them, "Hayner's doing_ really_ well."

The stuggle matches took place in the World's Showcase version of Twilight Town. The crowd and competitors gathered around the Sandlot and watched Hayner beat the crap out of his opponent named Setzer. Majority of the plastic balls that were taped onto his vest were now scattered on the floor. There were only two to go.

"I didn't think he'd be this good!" Xion fistpumped along with Selphie. Roxas, Namine and Selphie immediately came for support after volleyball. And Hayner, although he was well on his way to victory, was having a hard time knocking the last two balls of Setzer's chest.

"Come on!" Selphie slammed her palms onto the edge of the arena, "Get him Hayner! Just whack him in the balls!"

Hayner did just that and ended up winning ten seconds after with two swift movements. He did a battle cry and punched his chest continously as his victory was announced.

"Wow." Olette (though squinting from the sun in her face) muttered.

"You look pretty impressed." Roxas teased. An insanely large screen built near the arena then showed a picture of Roxas and a dude named Yoshiya and read:

**Struggle Match 7**

_Hikari, Roxas (光 ロクサス)_** vs **_Kiryu, Yoshiya (桐生 義弥)_

"Oh, time to go." The crowd made way for Roxas to approach the arena.

While Namine kissed him good luck, Selphie waved around the same foam finger from earlier and yelled, "Yeah Roxas! You got this!"

Olette awaited Hayner's return, but when she saw him, he was busy signing autographs in the corner. It slightly made her blood boil. The girls surrounding him were clearly oggling him. _Calm down, Olette. You're not supposed to be thinking about this. You can't see him that way, even if he does make you happy beyond belief. What if this is just a summer love? You can't let yourself do this. _

Selphie could sense the jealous vibe coming from the brunette and smirked. _Might as well put me in a toga and give me a bow with heart shaped arrows. I am too good._

After a few minutes, the crowd of girls lessened and Hayner became approachable. First, Xion, Namine and Olette congratulated him (he noticed that Olette was a little agressive when she did). After some small talk, Selphie pulled him aside and asked the girls for some privacy.

"What is it?" Hayner asked as he was being dragged across the fake Twilight Town. They came across what Hayner liked to call 'The Usual Spot' with his buddies back in Twilight T. "Am I doing something wrong, Selphie? I just kicked some serious butt back there!"

"I know," She clapped proudly, "And you looked good while doing it, too. You've totally got Olette wrapped around your finger!" When the air grew awkward, she whacked Hayner across the head, "Ew! I didn't mean it like _that_, pervert! I _meant_ that she looks really impressed. She got a little jealous of those girls from earlier, too."

"R-really?" At first he looked excited, then he just leaned against the fenced door and slid down until his butt made impact with the brick floor, "That's... great..."

"What's wrong?" For once Selphie looked genuinly concerned for the boy. It was like their friendship had become more trustworthy. "Do you not like her anymore or something? Because that's a shame. You really should confess. It's been almost two months now."

"No, it's not that," Hayner buried his face in his hands, "It's just... I don't know. When you put it that way, it kind of gives me hope that she likes me back and that I should confess."

She leaned down to his level, "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Not necessarily. It also reminds me of why I can't be with her, Selph."

"What do you mean?"

"Selphie, she lives on Sunset Hill."

She inhaled sharply, "Ooh, rich kid. Your point?"

"Do you _know_ what kind of family she comes from?" He flailed his arms around for emphasis, "Her parents are like... freaking geniuses! They're professors, doctors and whatnot! Let's say I _do_ confess, Selph. What now? She could say no. She could run. I would've ruined one of the best friendship's I've ever had. Or let's say she feels the same. Then what? Her parents would obviously disapprove of me, and things wouldn't end up working out. I live in the average part of Twilight Town. I'm just an average boy to them. I can't give her what her parents want me to. I'm no genius.I'm no rich boy."

"But you make their daughter _very_ happy, Hayner." She placed a hand on his padded shoulder, "Don't you think that's what matters? You haven't even met Olette's parents and you're already judging them. You know that Kairi's the mayor's daughter on Destiny Islands, right? Well, truth be told, her parents are the chillest people I've ever met."

"That's-"

"Different? Maybe. But don't you think you owe it to Olette to at least tell her how you feel? What if she's waiting for you to confess and you don't? I can guarantee that she won't look at you the same after that." With this, she hauled Hayner back up to his feet, "Love requires risk, Hayner. You can't expect everything to fall perfectly into place the way you want it to. You have to make it work."

After a comfortable silence, Hayner shook her hand with a smirk, "We used to freaking hate each other, you know."

Her eyes sparkled, "So you'll confess?"

Another silence fell between them, but this time, the sound of the cheering crowd grew louder as they chanted Roxas' name. By the looks of it, he won. Hayner's lips then formed an unsure smile. It may have been unsure, but it was better than before. "Maybe."

* * *

**Underworld Coliseum Tournament**

"I never thought I'd be fighting alongside you, Riku." Said Sora who was back to back with said boy. Both had keyblades in their hands, Sora's being called '_Ultima'_ and Riku's _'Way To Dawn'_. The tournament was designed like the Leadenstrike race (in fact it was held in the same area), where the monsters (or in this case, heartless) were virtual but the pain was real. Only this time, the arena was designed like a dark, circular Greek coliseum lit only by blue flames from small torches on the sidelines.

"Yeah, well, everybody deserves more than one chance. Even you." The previous emo-king responded slyly.

The way the tournament worked was in pairs. The first pair to advance the furthest and clear all four cups would win 250, 000 munny. And, as of that moment, no pair had even passed the third cup. 32 pairs had already failed even with the armour and weapons they were provided with. Even Lightning and Hope who offered their services to increase their chances of winning lost halfway through the third cup. And Lightning was a sergeant in Bodhum. Then again, Hope's choice for a boomerang as a weapon wasn't exactly the greatest...

"Wow, that... means a lot, Riku. Thanks." Sora spun the elaborately designed blade on his right hand.

"Hmph," Riku did the same with his but gripped it with both hands, "Don't get sappy with me."

_"Commence Pain and Panic Cup Match 1."_ Said a womanly voice from the speakers. Suddenly heartless of all shapes, sizes and bright colours began spawning all around them. The crowd cheered for them.

"Got my back?" Sora, after readying himself, asked his partner.

Riku formed a stance and stole a glance at the determined Sora one last time before shutting his eyes and smirking, "Yeah."

x

_"Commence Cerberus Cup Match 3."_

No one saw it coming that Sora and Riku would make a remarkable team. The two were extremely fit and could tumble, run and jump off the walls with ease. Their agility, speed and strength were amazing. They were quite intelligent, too. They knew exactly which spells to use at what time and did this all in record time. They weren't even sweating yet! It looked as if they had been fighting heartless for years.

"So," Said a calm, cool and collected Sora as he slashed through a gargoyle-like heartless that could've decapitated his partner, "I heard you were alone with Xion for quite some time last night."

"Implying something?" Asked Riku as he cast a dark shield over the both of them.

"No, just wondering what went on. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." The shorter keyblade wielder brought the weapon up into the air and yelled, "Magnega!" As he did this, Riku leapt into the air and cast an attack he liked to call 'Dark Aura' that disintigrated every enemy that was brought into Sora's magic.

"Nice move." Sora complimented as they advanced to the next round.

To aknowledge him, Riku nodded, "You too. As for Xion, well..."

* * *

**Hikari Household [Yesterday night]**

"Bye guys. Good luck on your performance."

"Yeah, thanks. See ya." Axel saluted to his raven-haired friend before walking towards the driveway. Roxas was with him but gave Xion a melancholic look instead of bidding her farewell. Sora and Kairi didn't even look at her. She sighed and shook her head, her bangs framing her eyes.

**Slam.** _Click._

When she shut the door, she lifelessly walked back into the empty living room. Sora, Kairi, Roxas and Axel just left for Battle of The Bands. Hayner, Selphie, Olette and Namine were out having fun. They were all gone. They all looked at her in a different light. And Riku... where was Riku? She hadn't seen him every since the incident.

_An incident that I had nothing to do with,_ She hugged her arm as she plopped down on the couch. She had been seeking his guidance all day. Did her best friend actually leave her? She'd understand why. He was never fond of boys that she was close with. She wanted to think he was jealous but didn't dwell on it just in case she was wrong. _All right, Xion, you've been beating yourself up the whole day. Time for some comfort._

She found herself in the kitchen a few seconds later. She felt like making crepes (yes, in the evening) so she began rummaging through the cupboards for the ingredients that she needed. While she made the batter, she turned on the radio built into the wall and turned up the volume. No one was home, anyway. Sadly, the music wasn't enough for her to let loose as she mixed the ingredients into a bowl on the island counter. Her zombie-like appearance clashed with the upbeat, happy music playing in the background.

"You're not going to get anywhere like that." Came a voice from the arch connecting the kitchen to the hallway. Riku walked over to her with an amused smirk and his arms crossed over his chest. His white shirt was so thin that she could partially see his abs through it. "Why are you making crepes for dinner?"

"I, uh... felt like it." She shook her head and focused on the situation at hand, "Riku, where have you been? I've been looking for you all day."

"Sorry. I was in my room thinking."

"The whole day? You could have come down sooner, you know."

"Oh, I woke up from a nap just now." He yawned and stretched his arms, causing his shirt to ride up a bit. Xion forced herself to look away. In the middle of the stretch, Riku cracked an an eye open and eyed the batter in the bowl, "Looks good so far, but you're mixing it wrong."

What he did next shocked her. It was _so_ off character.

Her best friend came up behind her, placed one hand on her shoulder and the other overtop her hand. Then, ever so slightly, he helped her mixed the batter properly. She was more so shocked at his gesture than the fact that he could cook. Her back was pressed against his rock hard chest, and she could sometimes feel his jaw hit the top of her head as he leaned in for a closer look. Eventually, his stirring matched the beat of the song bumping from the speakers. He was even bobbing his head to the beat and humming to it.

"You, uh... know this song?" She mumbled. It wasn't a Riku type of song. It was more of a Roxas and Hayner thing.

"I'm surprised you can't hear Hayner's stereo blasting this song over and over upstairs." He chuckled.

"R... Riku..." He could feel her relax into him more to make him do all the work, "Are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine," He responded, "Why?"

"It's just..." How could she put this without offending him? "You're... uh... _really_ happy. A-aren't you mad at me?"

"What for?"

"For..." She gulped, "Roxas."

"Why would I be mad at something you didn't do?"

His response made her drop the whisk. She even scurried away from him to cut the music. When it was quiet again, she looked at him.

"You... you believe that I didn't do it?"

"Of course." He used his hands to lean against the island.

"Wh..." She choked, "Why? You're the only one that does."

"_I'm_ your best friend," He simply stated, "I trust you well enough not to make the same mistake as before. I have faith in you, Xion. Did you seriously think that I'd abandon you? You gotta give me more credit than that."

Her eyes watered. When he noticed, he pushed himself off the counter and outstretched his arms. She ran into them in two seconds time. It was the warmest hug she had ever received. She and Riku had hugged hundreds of times before, but this one was the most welcoming.

"Thank you..." She sobbed into his chest, "Thank you for believing in me... n-not just now, but, for everything else..."

"You're..." He finally showed nervousness for the first time that day, "You're welcome."

They spent a few minutes in each other's comforting embrace befofre resuming their work in the kitchen. When they finished the crepes together, they placed them on two individual plates. While Xion sliced a few strawberries, Riku scooped some vanilla ice cream and placed it overtop their plates. After they properly folded the crepes and stuffed them with strawberries, they took some chocolate syrup and squirted it overtop their food in a zigzag fashion.

"Wow." Xion crossed her arms in satisfaction, "Looks like it came straight out of the menu of a five-star restaurant."

Riku chuckled and picked up both their plates, leading them into the living room, "Grab some forks and knives, will you? I feel like watching TV." Xion followed his orders and even brought them some water. They placed their food on the coffee table and sat together comfortably on the couch. In fact, Xion found herself leaning against Riku. Their shoulders touched, making them both blush discreetly. Silently, they watched Battle of The Bands on TV and ate together.

More than anything, Riku wanted to confess at that moment.

There was no one there. No annoying housemates, no Aqua filming from behind a bush, no nothing. No one to distract him. No one to stop him. He could finally do what he came to do on this vacation. There was only two weeks left. It was now or never.

"Xion, I..." He pulled on his collar when she looked at him curiously. _So beautiful_, "I need to tell you something... I, uh... I... I lo-"

It was than that cellphones became Riku's worst enemy.

"Sorry, hold that thought," Xion flipped open her _Blueberry _and pressed it against her ear, "Hello?"

He could faintly hear the sound of Hayner's worried voice on the other end, "Xion! Riku's with you too, right? It's about Namine..." On TV, Roxas, Sora and Axel were currently pushing people through the crowd. Riku could already tell that this wasn't going to be good.

His confession would have to wait.

**Olympus Tournament**

_"Commence Cerberus Cup Final Match."_

"Remind me to kick Hayner's ass later." Sora said bitterly. He once again stood back to back with Riku in preparation for their next enemy. With the lights dimmed and the arena darker than ever to challenge them, it was best if they stayed together. A sudden growl that caused the arena to shake scared the wits out of the two teens. They stood shocked as a three-headed dog spawned before them in the dark. They could already tell by the pearly yet sharp teeth that it was huge.

Riku readied himself, "Sure, I'll remind you. Right after we kick this thing's ass."

* * *

_"Commence Goddess of Fate Cup Final Match."_

"This is insane." Hope gripped on the armrests of his seat, "They're already on the final match!"

"I know," Although she looked bored, Lightning was actually very intrigued at the two boy's teamwork, "They work incredibly well together. They're both very strong and fast. I think they might even be faster than me. Huh, go figure."

The dynamic duo made it further than anyone ever had. Not only did they pass the Titan Cup (which was, in fact, the one no one could pass), but they were well on their way to finishing the final cup. The two were currently watching a Hydra spawn before them. They weren't scared of anything anymore. They were pretty beaten up and sweating heavily, but they had no intention of giving up anytime soon. They had to win.

Sora was the first to charge. Riku shook his head and laughed. It was such a Sora thing to do. Unlike him, the albino boy actually analyzed the enemy. The name _Hydra_ sounded very familiar. He remembered hearing it in school. When his partner ran up the rather long neck of the monster and sliced off its head, Riku's eyes widened in realization. He remembered.

"No, Sora!" He immediately ran to his side when the brunet landed perfectly on his feet.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, from the little I learned about Greek mythology at school, I remember learning that when you slice off one Hydra head..." What he feared most was actually happening before them, "Two more grow back."

"Motherf-" Before Sora could finish, he and Riku were knocked to opposite sides of the arena. The two new heads hissed at them with intimidating faces. "You want some of this?" Sora pointed at his armoured chest and coughed, "Come and get it!"

"Good, good." Riku applauded at Sora's strategy to keep the heads distracted. While Sora played with them, Riku eyed the main body of the beast. He had to strike it right at the heart if he wanted to kill it. He stealthily ran halfway towards it until he heard a piercing cry. When he looked up, he immediately cast a shield upon himself to block another two extra heads that appeared. He frowned, "Sora!"

Sora was currently pressed up against a wall, holding the keyblade with both hands for dear life. He looked guilty as he sliced yet another head to defend himself, "Sorry! It scared me! What do you want me to do, let it eat me?"

"No, just don't slice off anymore heads and keep it distracted!" The older teen retorted. He had no choice but to retreat back to the center when the heads came after him, too. Sora did the same. In two minutes time they were beside each other again, panting and gasping for air.

"We can't give up." Sora wheezed. What he said could have meant many things.

"I know." Came Riku's raspy voice as he wiped some dirt off his cheek, "We need to strike it at the heart." Just to make things even harder, the numerous heads surrounded them on all sides.

Sora sighed and cracked his knuckles. He looked like he was about to put all his remaning strength into his next attack, "Let's end this. Together."

Much like earlier, Riku smirked and filled his hands with magic, "Yeah."

In the next second, the two sped off in opposite directions and began slicing the heads that covered the main body in hyper speed. Their hits were so fast that they could barely seen.

"Outta my way!" Riku growled. Then, in unison, the two began jabbing the same head with their keyblades. Riku was practically laughing at this point, "Is that all you got?" They separated again and cast blue flames much like Riku's dark auras all over the place. When they came back together, Riku pointed at a certain head, "I'll take 'em." In unison, the two extended their blades and spun across the arena. Their blades spun so fast that it looked like there was at least thirteen of them.

Then, when the time came, every head was cut off and the main body was made available to them. Before any heads could grow back, Riku shouted, "Prepare to lose it all!" and threw his blade like a boomerang like Sora did. They cast as much magic as they could as their keys made contact with the serpent's heart. It slowly began to desintegrate, signifying its defeat and the dynamic duo's victory.

"Riku." Sora looked up at him with sparkly eyes and offered the older teen a fist bump.

He complied and said to the fading beast, "Time's up."

Suddenly the arena around them began to disappear. The cheering of the crowd grew quieter and quieter as the arena changed. They were no longer at the coliseum. Instead, they were in a dark beach. It was hard to describe, but if Sora were to describe it, he would've used the words dark and lonely though peaceful with a beautiful moon covered by thorn-like rocks.

Tired and exhausted, the brunet collapsed onto the sand and rested his feet by the shore, "I don't think anything's coming. Come on Riku-" He patted the space beside him, "-sit down."

He did. He also used a rock (he could've sworn the designs on it were somewhat glowing) as a pillow. It wasn't the comfiest thing out there, but given his hard work, it was like a giant marshmallow. They sat in silence, listening to the waves for a bit before Sora decided to speak up. They weren't exactly panicking about the time that had passed. They were too tired to even care.

"Say, Riku..." Sora looked up at the sky as he rested his hands on the sand and propped his knees up, "Why did you help me with the tournament?"

The silver-haired boy sighed and rested his right elbow on his propped knee; he had his chance now, "What I said back there... about not getting sappy with me... if you don't mind, I'm about to get sappy with you."

"Huh," Sora chuckled, "So why'd you do it?"

"To tell you the truth, Sora... I was jealous of you." He could tell that the brunet boy was frozen at his confession.

"What for?" He asked curiously.

"I wished that I could live life the way you do. Just following my heart." He let out a half-laugh, "And of course, you know about Xion. I've been very unfair to you. I apologize. I immediately decided to hate you because of what you did to Xion before even getting to know you. Then I learned that you are... actually... a really great guy. So I guess... I joined this tournament in hopes that you could forgive me and start this whole thing over."

"Riku..." Sora almost bursted into tears. Almost. Selphie and Xion had done more than change his appearance.

"So what do you say?" Riku offered him his armoured hand; the next word he said made them both smile, "Friends?"

Sora shook it without hesitation, "Friends. And, uh... sorry about... Xion."

"It's fine. She was very grateful that you apologized, actually. Just don't hurt her again." He narrowed his eyes at that last part. Sora nodded nervously. Afterwards, the beach began morphing back into the circular coliseum where the crowd was chanting their names.

"Sorry about that gentlemen," Said a staff member that helped Sora up to his feet, "We needed to keep you distracted while we set up the podiums."

Riku and Sora looked up and found three podiums with different levels set up in the center of the arena. The highest one in the middle had the number 1 engraved on it along with a young teen holding a giant cheque worth 250, 000 munny. Two pairs occupied the other two podiums.

"Congratulations to our victors Sora Hikari and Riku Somneri!" Yelled an announcer. The staff member that helped Sora gestured him to the top podium.

Sora smiled proudly and looked back at Riku who was still seated on the floor. He offered him his hand, "We'll go together."

He grinned and took it, "Yeah."

* * *

Team Axel (as he liked to call it) ate dinner together late that night at a fancy restaurant in downtown, Twilight Town. The downtown in the Worlds Showcase, that is. It actually looked magnificent at night with all the neon lights and signs. Roxas and Axel were the last to arrive, and when they arrived at the restaurant and joined their group of friends, they looked at Roxas oddly.

"What the heck happened to you?" Sora eyed his burnt brother up and down.

Roxas coughed and took the seat next to his girlfriend, "I injured my leg in karate so Axel decided that he could do the epic Chinese healing _Karate Kid_ thing with the fire and ended up burning my pants. And, eventually, most of my clothes as you can see." Everyone stifled their laughter. Tidus couldn't contain it, though.

Apparently Axel still found it funny as he facepalmed himself and chuckled, "Oh, good times. Don't worry, I took him to the hospital after that. He's okay now. He can walk."

"You couldn't have let me go home and change first?" Roxas muttered into his glass of water.

"We were already late," The pyromaniac then brought out his phone and stood at the very end of the table to make an announcement, "First of all, I am so proud of all of you. Thanks so much for making today a huge success."

"Enough with the cheesy crap," Hayner bounced up and down eagerly on his seat, "How much cash did we make?"

"Well, after all the text messages and voicemails y'all sent me," Axel began typing numbers in the calculator again to double check his math, "We've raised about... 450, 000 munny! Well, minus 2, 000 for Roxas' injury... so... 448, 000 munny!" Their extremely large table clapped and cheered, earning many stares from other customers.

"Only day one and we're almost halfway there," Axel wiped an imaginary tear off his eye, "This is great, guys. With that being said, dinner's on me! Go crazy! Eat whatever you want! We're celebrating!"

In the midst of more cheering, Kairi and Selphie stood up and began hitting their glasses with spoons. "Hey everyone," Kairi started, "We just wanted to give a toast. For many reasons, actually. One, for everyone's hard work today." They all aknowledged each other after this.

"Two, for the new friendships that have been made or made better." Selphie smiled at Hayner at this. Sora and Riku even shared a high-five.

"And three," Kairi gestured a hand towards Aqua's crew and Sora, "To Aqua, Pence, Ventus and Sora. To Sora, for coming up with this idea and keeping the hope alive. And to Aqua and her crew, who brought us up when we came crashing down. Aqua, regardless of what happened in the past, no one has ever tried to bring us together as much as you have. Thank you for giving us the boost to grow together."

"So, yeah..." Selphie raised her glass, "Cheers!"

Everyone followed suite, "CHEERS!"

x

While everyone waited for their food (it would take awhile considering the amount of people they had at one table), they decided to occupy themselves with the paper tablecloth. Seeing that they were provided with writing utensils, they began drawing on it. While Axel drew the male genitalia, Sora and Kairi played tic-tac-toe while Roxas watched Namine created a masterpiece that included every member at the table. Everyone else felt bad about their drawings afterwards.

Riku, on the other hand, drew a child-like version of Memory's Skyscraper with a black crayon and drew two stick people atop it with ice cream in their hands. Xion, who was seated beside him, got the message. Aqua did the same to Ventus but drew what seemed like the theatre outside the restaurant. Ventus, though a little hesitant, nodded and agreed to meet her there after dinner.

"Are you going to do what I think you're going to do?" Sora texted to Riku. The silver-haired young man didn't respond via text message. He just nodded. Sora mouthed him 'Good luck' and gave him a thumbs up.

"What's going on?" Asked a left-out Kairi.

Sora just smirked, "You'll see."

* * *

**Downtown Theatre**

_Why on earth would Aqua want me to meet her here? _Ven thought as he entered the movie theatre. He found it odd that no one was there. Not even any workers were there. When he reached the counter, there was only a bucket of popcorn and a large drink waiting for him. He didn't feel like eating it, though. He was still full from dinner. But when he approached the food, there was a note attached to it.

_Theatre 4_ it read.

He looked around the abandoned theatre in search for theatre 4. After exploring the modern-like movie theatre, Ventus found theatre 4 at the end of the hallway. He entered it cautiously. To avoid the darkness he focused o the light coming from the large screen. When he could fully see it, he was awestruck. Just like he did with Aqua, a video of footage of the both of them was playing. This time, Aqua made it.

When he looked at the seats, Aqua was standing in the middle with the same boquet of flowers he bought her for their date. After all this time she managed to keep them alive. She wore a pleading smile on her face as she said, "Forgive me, Ventus? I'm really sorry about before. I promise I'll take time to be with you. Promise. I really do miss you."

He suddenly felt giddy as he ran up to her and gave her a hug. He liked this girl too much to stay mad her. "I missed you too, Aqua."

After all, everyone deserves more than one chance.

**Memory's Skyscraper**

"Any particular reason you wanted us to be here?" Asked Xion who took the seat next to her best friend. The view looked just like the one they had back home, save the parts of the island they could see from so high.

Riku shrugged as he handed her an ice cream bar, "Can't a guy ask his best friend to talk atop a skyscraper for old time's sake?"

"Old times sake?" Xion chuckled, "You make it sound like we're old, haha. Is there something you wanted to talk about in particular?"

_Now or never,_ He reminded himself. But he couldn't make it too sudden. He had to... make his way there somehow. Start off with some small talk then get there. "Yes, actually. I, uh..." He pondered through his memories for something to talk about, "I'm friends with Sora now."

"Really?" Xion's eyes widened, "That's... that's great! I told you he was nice."

"He is." Riku scratched the back of his head when he didn't know how to respond. He decided to quicken the pace a bit before she got sleepy or something, "Xion, could you tell me... why you're so focused on love? Your focus this summer was to find love, wasn't it? Why is that? You try so hard to find it. To get it. Not just from Sora, but from Kairi, Selphie and Namine, too. You really try to belong with them."

She blushed madly at the topic he decided to bring up. Were they seriously talking about_ L-O-V-E?_ "Well, er..." She twiddled her thumbs, "They seem like such welcoming people, you know? I wanted to be their friend. I wanted to laugh with them. I wanted them to forgive me. I think I just... wanted them to accept me. The only person that ever truly accepted me was you."

Not to sound like a sob story, but it was true. Only Riku knew Xion's background. Sure she had a few friends back in Twilight Town, but none of them knew her as well as Riku. When Xion was born, her father left her mother. Her mother was very young when she had her and, as sad as it sounds, she blamed her daughter for ruining her life and education. The reason her mother kept her was because her grandparents found it wrong to abandon her child. Her mother didn't love her in the slightest. For this reason, Xion occassionally stayed with her aunt next door (who was much nicer) and spent time with Riku to stay away from her mother.

"I guess I just wanted someone to be afraid of losing me. That's why I tried, searched and wished for love. Maybe if I found it, I could finally belong. But now, since things are going fine with the household, the friendship-like love I have with them is enough." She gave him a toothy smile, "I have people that make me feel as happy as you do." He blushed but she didn't notice, "But none of them understand me as well as you do, of course. No one beats my best friend." That was the only way she could put it without revealing her true feelings for him.

He pulled on his collar for air, "That's good to hear, Xion. I'm happy for you, but..."

"But?"

_It's time._ Riku tensed his shoulders and inhaled sharply, "I think you were trying too hard. Do you know _why_ your wishes of finding a lover haven't necessarily come true?"

Her breath hitched at where this was going, "Why?"

"Because," He nervously moved her hair from her eyes to reveal her bright, blue orbs, "Fr-from the moment I met you... they already did." When he tilted his head and leaned in to kiss her, she lost her breath. Riku, her best friend, was in love with her. He was _kissing_ her. For a moment she thought it was unreal and that she had left the world and was in heaven until she felt a teardrop hit her face followed by the rumbling of thunder.

Riku pulled away first and looked up at the dark sky, "Huh... even the weather's the same."

"Doesn't matter." Xion mumbled before pulling on his tie and into another kiss. She was sure now. She had feelings for him. Feelings that she should have known about a long time ago. As the rain soaked them, Xion pulled away this time. "How cheesy. Kissing in the rain." She chuckled.

Even against the darkness, Riku's unique aquamarine eyes were brighter than ever, "Yeah."

"I should've known better," Xion blushed when Riku intertwined their hands together, "I should've realized that it was you sooner. I'm sorry, Riku."

"Mmm," He shook his head, "I should've told you sooner." To make things official, he pressed his forehead against hers and said, "I'm in love with you, Xion. I always have. That's why I hated Sora. He's hurt you so much and yet you still loved him, but... that was a mistake. I was the one who won us the vacation here. I brought us here to confess my feelings. I even asked Selphie to change me for you. I'll do whatever I can to make you happy, promise. You'll always belong when you're with me."

"Oh, Riku," She pecked his lips one more time, "I... I love you, too. Thank you."

From the bottom of the skyscraper, a crowd of happy teenagers clapped, whistled and cheered. The girls were squealing in delight like there was no tomorrow. Two finished sea-salt ice creams fell from the ledgeand landed directly in front of Sora. When he picked one up, it read _WINNER._

He shook them in his hands and chuckled, "Winner indeed."

**In the next chapter:**

_"I like you, Olette Lovet. As in... 'like you' like you."_

_"Listen here, girlie! I worked my butt off to get you to notice that boy and you have the nerve to reject him? !"_

_"What makes you beautiful?"_

_"Two words. Kissing. Booth."_

_"Larxene Cloryx, will you marry me?"_

_"K-Kairi?"_

* * *

**Very early update, wee! :) Little bit of KH praise with Riku and Sora there :3 ETERNAL SESSION FTW. And I've had tons of writing time lately, so I thought, what the heck! That, and I'll be busy for the next few weeks. So, I especially liked this chapter because I've been waiting to write it since I came up with ideas for Teenage Wasteland for the first time. From the very beginning I knew The Oathkeepers would lose the competition so they could fight for the money :P I thought it would've been WAY too cliche if they won. By the way, I know the final match of the coliseum tournament was Hades, but I wanted to switch it up to the epic Hydra :D I have a knack for Greek mythology :P**

**Oh, and a little note, Blitzkrieg means 'lightning war'. I thought it matched the fighting theme. And oh lookie, Riku and Xion hooked up :D As did Ven and Aqua. Don't worry about Terra, I'll mention him in the next chapter. Speaking of the next chapter, I might change around the 'in the next chapter lines'. Might. I'm not very sure if I can add all those events in one chapter, so if they change, I apologize in advance. They will happen, though.**

**And before I tell you the crazy events of Otakon, I should share some rather exciting news with you. So, don't get all excited, but I received an offer to turn Teenage Wasteland into a manga. It's a competition, really, but the person who offered it to me said that they needed a good storyline for their book. Apparently their previous entries were too 'mature', so they asked me to submit a story. Should I do it? :) I'll have to change things up a bit, though. Like names, places, etc. If I do go through with this I'll need your help :D**

**Now, as you all know, I went to Otakon on Friday and Saturday. I'm going to tell you right now that it was the craziest adventure of my life. 30, 000 freaking people went. It was honestly so fun to walk around as KH2 Kairi and have people ask for your picture, give high fives and yell out your name. A Sora even asked me for a hug xD I also bought a paopu fruit :3 It's a real cute plush. And omg, fangirls, be prepared. My cousin witnessed the hottest Axel of life. There was this guy dressed as Axel and... hot damn. Just because I know some guys are reading this, I won't go on lol. But seriously, you could just yell out someone's name and get their picture. They are so nice. It sure was fun yelling "Hey Roxas, Sora, can I have your picture?" again and again xD Plus I got a picture of Cloud playing DDR. Definetely not something you see everyday xD**

**And in my entire fifteen years of existance, I can confidently say that I got chased by a pedobear. Yes, my cousin and I were chased by a pedobear mascot. He was in the middle of getting his pictures taken until some random guy yelled "We need cute little girls!" And almost immediately, he pointed at me and my cousin. Curse our asian height. We ran down the entire hallway screaming with people laughing and taking pictures of the whole thing. Thankfully, we were saved by Captain America LOL. I tried to hide behind Aqua and Terra but the pedobear was freaking SPRINTING. Thank goodness my cousin and I run fast.**

**Let's see, what else happened... well, I befriended this one Sora chick. She was actually real sweet, but I had to laugh when I walked in the bathroom in the middle of when she was changing her shirt. She's just like, "Kairi, how innapropriate!" For the record, I just walked in and ended up laughing with her. Oh, how I love Sora and Kairi. And to end it all, my cousin and our friends went to a rave. Woo, best thing EVER! Lights everywhere, crazy techno music, colourful stage, cosplayers dancing everywhere, bboy competitions... it was like a live DDR. And the day after that I went to ANOTHER party.**

**I could tell you more, but I'm afraid this author's note is running rather long haha. I'm glad that some of you even take the time to read them lol. Now I'll thank you all for your wonderful reviews. You are too sweet. Thank you. Now seeing that I have to get ready for ANOTHER party (I'm such an animal LOL) and choreograph a dance for a talent competition, I can only once again thank you for your amazing reviews. You guys seem to like it better when I thank you instead of reply haha. So what do you prefer? Being thanked or me actually replying to individual reviews? Time to take a vote! And remember, you can always send me PM messages :)**

**And omg guys. Almost 900 reviews. You might actually help me reach my dream of a 1000 T~T Thank you so much for making this little asian girl so accomplished and happy! ILOVEYOU! In a non... creeper... way...**

**Special Thanks to: **Summoners, asb227, Noobster, a star-shaped fruit27, Phenomenon45 (ty so much for your long review! I loveloveLOVE long reviews, so thank you :D), BuBuBoom, Stonekipsta, Redeeming Endeavor, TheMaskedGirl, Meryq, Sakura088, sunshinemeg82, MusicalSage, Fuline Lite, AKAAkira, The Traveler, Sypherianlp, Anonymous dude, Moon Princess016, Havoc's Divide, ChocoIsu, JamilaxHearts, Enchanted Shadows of The Dark, Dusk-Sky, AnimeGurl0130, Sookdeo, Artism, CupcakeLerman, Little Super Toaster x, AsoenixKristian, Ronnie343, DragoNik, i'myourtarget, LittleKeybladeNinja, Mokimoki-chan, Craxuan, roxasandnamineluver, DreamStation369, ChuckleBunny, The Moon's Berserk, Kurt The Mortician, Rytex, CherryCola12, DestinyKeyblader28, Nikolas Sur, Q-A The Authoress, beckster411 and xLycheeRAiN

**Thank you guys so much for all your amazing support :3 I'll get started on the next chapter as soon as I can! I can guarantee you that the ending will make you squeal :) For now, I must take my leave for I'll be very busy! I'll update ASAP though, k? Sorry for any grammar errors, I hope you enjoye the chapter, please review and thank you once again :D !**

**PS, for those of you who thought I got the monk idea from Suite Life, I didn't. I actually got it from Jake Long a LOONGG time ago lol.**

**xoKyorii**


	29. Something More

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** .

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Background Information (NEW!):**

For those of you who can't comprehend COD language, here's a little legend :)

**Tomahawk:** In short, it's an axe.

**Flashbang:** A special hand grenade used to stun its victims.

**A/N:** Just a reminder that every 100 munny is equivalent to about 10 dollars :) Plus, my cousin's story is posted guys! If you want to read it, you can go on my profile, go to my favourite authors and click** x-BaByKo-x** since links don't work here. That would be greatly appreciated guys :D

* * *

**. Chapter XXIX .**

_**. Something More .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"Take a chance. It may just work out in the end."_

This was worse than a tomahawk to the face.

Seriously, it was.

Hayner Arundel was going to tell a girl that he liked her. Like... _like_ like her. For once in his life he felt like a noob. He'd never developed such a close relationship with a girl let alone confess to one. All he could think about were the negatives. What if he messed up? What if she rejected him? What if he threw up? What if a tactical nuke were to-

_Stop,_ The gamer was beyond irritated with himself. _I'm being such a freaking pansy. You have to stop being a camper, Hayner. You have to move._ He also had to stop with the COD references.

A jingle at the door caught his attention. Olette came walking into the cafe dressed in an orange tank and khaki capris with her curly chestnut hair cascading down her shoulders. It may have been simple, but she brought it out well. When she spotted Hayner sitting by himself at a table by the window, she waved and took the seat in front of him. He suddenly regretted being there. How did Selphie manage to talk him into this?

"Good morning." She greeted, setting her purse down.

"Morning." He mumbled before flicking her a cup, "Here." She took the drink she had asked him to buy for her and sipped the warm drink in delight.

She sighed at the sensation at her throat, "Mm. Thanks." He could tell she was about to take munny from her purse and pay him back so he held his hand up and shook his head.

"Don't worry, I got it." He offered. She tried to argue but obviously lost.

"So," She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "Any particular reason you called me out here this morning? It seemed pretty urgent."

"What are they saying?" Asked a voice from afar. Outside the cafe from behind a bus stop was Kairi and Selphie with Selphie's famous binoculars and Kairi's satelite-like hearing device. They had asked the other guys to come but, when they saw them in the morning, they were all dressed in spandex suits ready to compete for the island's _Human Tetris_ competition.

"He's about to tell her why he called her out." Kairi replied, adjusting her headphones and device for a clearer response.

"He better go through with this." Selphie snapped, "I made him look extra hot this morning." Judging by Olette's calm behaviour, she had no idea what was coming for her.

Back in the cafe, Hayner was drumming on the edges of his iced cappucinno, "Well, it's rather important."

"Really?" Olette took another sip before asking, "What is it?"

The gamer sighed and leaning back in the wooden seat. Was he actually going to do it? He did the math yesterday. Selphie was right; Olette deserved to know. There was exactly one week and a half left of summer. If he confessed now and just so happened to get rejected, he could use the remaining time of his vacation to get over it. Things would get awkward back home, but even if they lived in the same town, they didn't necessarily have to see each other. Olette was homeschooled, anyway. And on the rare possibility that she liked him back, well, he would happily prance around and crown himself as the happiest man alive. After all, Riku, who had changed along with him, had a girlfriend now.

But first things first; he had to confess.

_"Love requires risk, Hayner. You can't expect everything to fall perfectly into place the way you want it to. You have to make it work."_

_Right. Make it work._ With newly gained confidence, Hayner gripped his drink and looked his companion straight in the eye, "Olette, I've been meaning to tell you this for awhile now."_ Be blunt, don't hesitate, just say it._ A large weight began to make its way towards his shoulders.

"Go on." She said it so innocently that he wanted to kiss her right then and there.

"Oh my gosh," Kairi squealed, "He's going to say it!"

"_What_?" Selphie ripped the headphones from her best friend's head and pressed her ear against one side while Kairi took the other. Their hearts were beating almost as fast as Hayner's.

"I like you, Olette Lovet." To clarify, he added, "As in... 'like you' like you." The gamer could've sworn he heard cheering outside but paid no mind to it. He just focused on Olette's shocked expression while shaking and gripping onto his drink.

_Well, you did it,_ On one hand, Hayner felt great that the weight off his shoulders was gone. But on the other, he felt like throwing up. By the look on her face, her response wasn't going to be good.

"Hayner, that's..." She refrained from looking at his alluring brown eyes and became interested on a speck of dirt on the table.

"I'll try and make it work, I promise. I won't hurt you. We'll always have fun like we used to." He pressed.

"Th-thank you, but I... I'm sorry."

That was the last thing she said before rushing out of the cafe, leaving her purse behind. When she ran past a flabbergasted Selphie and Kairi, the two girls nodded at each other and dispersed. While Selphie ran after Olette, Kairi comforted the heartbroken Hayner.

"Hey." She occupied the seat in front of him after ordering herself a drink, "How are you feeling?"

"You were the ones cheering earlier, weren't you?" He said with dull eyes, "And I've been better."

"I'm sorry, Hayner." She reached over to put a comforting hand overtop his. It seemed like only yesterday that he admitted his feelings for Olette to her on the porch of their house.

"It's not your fault." He had never looked so broken, "I just, you know... didn't think it would hurt this much. I feel like I just got killed before achieving a nuke. Like... I actually got killed by a riot shield. Like I got hit with a billion predator missiles one after the other."

Those were the saddest gaming words Kairi had ever heard, "Oh, Hayner... why don't we go home and order some pizza while playing COD? You can put whatever you want on it. We'll go all out on the gaming."

"You know what," _'Get over it' it is..._ "That sounds like a great idea."

x

_This girl is faster than she looks!_ Selphie found herself removing her wedge heels in order to pursue the running Olette. They had probably ran about nine blocks and poor Selphie was breathless. Just as Olette was within arm's reach, Selphie bumped into someone and was knocked to the ground.

"Oh, sorry." Said a familiar voice.

"Irvine," As she was helped up, Selphie dusted off her ruffley yellow tank to draw the attention away from her blush, "Th-thanks."

"Hey, I've been meaning to talk to you since the twin's party," Said the tall boy while rubbing on the back of his cowboy hat, "I can't believe I'm only asking you this now, but... if it isn't too much trouble, could I, uh... have your number?"

_Oh my GOSH,_ Selphie dropped her shoes and fanned herself; she was so focused on playing matchmaker that she completely forgot about herself. When she caught a glimpse of Olette turning the corner, she groaned. Hayner was her friend now. She had to help him. Olette's whereabouts would be unknown to her if she didn't run after her now. Irvine, on the other hand, lived next door to Tidus. She could find him again, but his number would have to wait.

"Irvine, I'd love to give it to you, but I'm in a rush right now, sorry!" She sprinted off in the other direction so that she couldn't see his disappointed face. _Olette, you BETTER hook up with Hayner when I'm done with you!_ When Selphie turned the corner, she caught a glimpse of brown hair running towards a dead end on the right. Given that Selphie was always out shopping, she knew it was a dead end.

Olette didn't.

"Finally," Selphie wheezed as she leaned against the wall of the alley. Olette was practically a deer caught in headlights. "You're more athletic than I thought."

"Why did you follow me?" Asked the breathless and teary brunette. She hugged herself before slamming her back on the vandalized brick wall behind her.

"What do you think?" Selphie took on a more aggresive tone before taking Olette by the collar and lifting her up. Olette didn't fight it. She remained limp in Selphie's tight grasp, "Listen here, girlie! I worked my butt off to get you to notice that boy and you have the nerve to reject him? ! And don't give me any law or theory bullshit because I see the way you look at him! There's no way you haven't _considered_ dating him!"

"I'd be lying if I said I never... considered it..." The braniac admitted in a guilty whisper. At this, Selphie let her down. The two collapsed on opposite sides of the alley and leaned against the wall.

"Then why?" Selphie asked in confusion.

"The way I see it, things won't work out." She confessed, "Hayner's a great guy, Selphie. Perfect, even. He's taught me the greatest lesson of my life. In my sixteen years of existance, I've never had so much fun. This vacation would have been nothing without him. And the fact that I see this as a _vacation_ other than a _job_ really says something. And the fact that he's... _attractive_ is a bonus. But you really didn't have to change him. I'm sure my feelings for him would have developed the same."

"He wanted to change for you." Selphie cringed, "So if you like him back, why did you run?"

"Other than any sports-related events, why else do people run?"

"Because they're scared." Selphie answered almost instantly, "What are you so afraid of?"

"There's a lot of things to be afraid of!" Olette's raised voice caused baby chocobos on the rooftops to fly away; she had never seen Olette this way, "I've never dated before. My parents probably wouldn't approve. They'd think that he's just getting in the way of my studies which would destroy our chances of ever being friends again." Selphie flinched at her words. They were just like Hayner's. "And, even if things do work out, it's a little too late. The summer's almost over."

"Don't you live in Twilight Town, too?"

"Yes, but that's not my point." The braided brunette pulled on the hem of her orange top, "What I'm saying is... I'm just thinking that, maybe... what if... what if this is just a summer love? What if we go back to Twilight Town and there's nothing there?"

"Don't you think that it's worth taking that risk if it means having a shot at more happiness?" When Olette fell silent, Selphie saw that her work was done. She placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile, "Take a chance. It may just work out in the end. Think about it, okay?"

And think about it she did.

* * *

Kairi was pretty sure that, with all the pizza he scarfed down, Hayner went from suffering from heart_break_ to heart_burn_. He must've had like 16 slices along with some mozzarella sticks and (Kairi found this impossible) he wasn't even done yet. He was in the middle of devouring yet another meat-covered pizza slice while knifing her character onscreen.

"Oh my _gosh_," Roxas, who just came home with his brother and best friend, covered his mouth, "My vegetarian nostrils! The meaty stench is so damn strong that I can _taste_ it! Ahh!" Sora, on the other hand, decided to join Hayner's feast. After human tetris and soccer that morning, he was starving.

"Wow," Axel patted the gamer on the back, "I'm impressed someone as small as you can actually eat that much without exploding."

"Y-yeah Hayner," Kairi fumbled with the buttons on her controller, "Don't you think you should slow down? You have struggle matches later on." The dirty blond shook his head and kept his eyes fixated on the screen. _Well, I suppose this is better than having him mope about-_

"-ette?" Sora asked through a full mouth, "Where's Olette? Selphie asked her to meet her here at two thirty yesterday."

_Sora, if I didn't like you, I would totally smack you in the face right now._ Realizing what she just thought, Kairi blushed.

At the mention of the she-devil's name, Hayner turned off the game system, claimed the half-finished pizza box and headed upstairs to his room. Axel flailed his arms around and gaped, "Hey! You could at least share!"

"Don't worry," Kairi gestured her eyes towards the six boxes of pizza stacked on top of the grand piano, "There's more." Sora, who was already eating his second slice, caught Axel glaring at him.

The determined brunet scooped the boxes up in his arms and yelled, "You'll never take them alive!"

"Sora, don't eat too much! We have to skateboard later!" Roxas scolded. While Sora and Axel acted like wild savages and ran around the house, the sunkist blond sighed and focused on the situation at hand.

"So what's wrong with Hayner?" Kairi was sure Hayner wouldn't mind her telling the boys. They were bound to find out, anyway.

"He, uh... confessed to Olette this morning."

Roxas stiffened. It fell silent. Sora and Axel even dropped the pizza boxes and let the slices from their mouths fall.

The older twin stated the obvious, "By his reaction, I take that it didn't go well."

"No man, he totally got laid," Axel rolled his eyes, "But that's rough. Think he'll be okay for the struggle matches la- _ow_!"

After whacking Axel across the head, Roxas scolded him, "Hayner's heartbroken and all you can think of is him winning munny?"

"Well sorry!" The redhead flailed his arms around, "I have problems too, y'know!"

While the bromance brothers argued, Sora looked at the empty staircase that Hayner previously stomped on and empathized with the poor guy. Rejected. Hopeless. He'd been there before. He should probably talk to hi-

He felt a hand on his shoulder, "He'll be fine."

Sora shrugged Kairi's hand off of him and threw an arm around her shoulders with a smile, "You're probably right." He caught the blush on her cheeks; she tried to hide it by biting into her pizza slice.

"Kairi, put the pizza down!" Demanded a high-pitched voice. All Kairi heard was the sound of a door shut before she locked eyes with Selphie and a dejected looking Olette by the entrance hallway. Judging by Selphie's smirk and hand-on-hips pose, she had something in mind that Kairi would disapprove of.

"Why?" The redhead pouted. Sora resisted the urge to remind her how cute she was.

"Because," Her best friend busted out a flyer from her pockets and revealed its contents; Kairi was right- it _was_ something she'd disapprove of, "You're joining a beauty pageant! You gotta be in top shape for that!"

While the boys snickered, Kairi looked disgusted, "Ew. Why?"

"Why? Because you're hot, Kairi!" Selphie winked. Sora facepalmed himself.

"But why do _I_ have to do this?" The redhead stomped her foot and whined.

"You're not the only one." Olette said lifelessly.

"That's right! There's..." Selphie began counting her fingers, "Me, Lette, Aqua, Xion, Yuna, Rikku, Vanille, Roxas-"

"WHAT?" The blond squeaked.

"Don't get your granny panties in a twist, Roxie." Selphie waved her hand nonchalantly, "I was just joking." Then in a barely audible whisper, she went to Axel and said, "I really wasn't. Get the wig." After the pyromaniac nodded, Selphie put on her innocent smile again, "So yeah. It's tomorrow. I suggest we start preparing today, and since you absolutely_ love_ Sora's taste in clothing, I've decided that he'll be your assistant."

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA," Axel stepped in front of his fellow redhead and brunet defensively, "Listen here brunette blondie or whatever, Sora _cannot_ help you with your little beauty stuff. He's busy racking up some cash for the ol' redheaded sex magnet." He proudly pointed at himself with his thumb.

"Okay _sex magnet_," Selphie poked his chest, challenging him, "This pageant offers 100, 000 munny for the first prize winner. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She already had him hook, line and sinker with that statement; _Now finish him! _"Plus you could help the girls with their outfits as well, say... the _swimsuit_ category?" _FATALITY._

Axel laughed nervously and threw an arm around the lead singer's shoulders, "I think you can spare an hour or two, right Sor-myster?"

"Sure." He nodded. _Anything for Kairi._

"Wait, I didn't even agree to this!" Said girl whined, "This is demeaning! Why should only _one_ girl be the most beautiful of them all? They have no right to judge anyth-"

"Sora." Selphie crossed her arms, "Secret weapon time."

"Secret wea-" Kairi was cut off by a pouting Sora. "Really? Pouting Sora? _Really_? I can't believe you'd go this far!" She backed up with a red face as he inched closer and made his eyes sparkle.

"Pwease Kairi?" He asked adorably, "It's a good oppowtunity to get munny. Fow Axel?"

Defeated, Kairi slumped her shoulders and let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine, FINE! I'll do it. But only for Axel!" The little audience (minus the dark Olette) threw enthusiastic fists into the air.

"And what about you?" Selphie smirked in Roxas' direction.

He groaned and glared at Axel, "You are _so_ lucky you're my best friend."

"Yes!" The eldest teen yipped, placing an arm around his BFFL's shoulders, "But just to get things straight, I am _not_ picking out your swimsuit."

* * *

**Keyblade Battle 24**

_Roxas Hikari-Aethon_ vs _Sora Hikari_

That evening, the keyblade battles took place in an arena designed much like the struggle matches. The only difference was that it took place indoors and the competitors were forced to wear slightly stronger, better-looking armour. The goal was to successfully hit your opponent twice for two points. When in the semi-final rounds, three points were required for victory.

"Don't hold back." Said a smirking Roxas while adjusting his pauldron. In the previous battle, Roxas went up against Riku and won.

"Oh I won't." Challenged his stretching brother. When equipped with their keyblades (Roxas prefered two), the twins prepared themselves.

Axel crossed his arms with a malevolent smirk, "A hundred munny on Sora."

"Going against your own best friend?" Asked Ventus. He too joined the tournament with Terra and Aqua since they were trained since birth. Kairi, Sora, Roxas, Xion and Riku also decided to try it out for kicks and to increase their chances of winning the prize munny.

"I know Roxas well enough." Axel said confidently.

"Really?" Namine waved her munny from behind, "I'll take that bet. I say Roxas wins."

"Gambling now are we?" Kairi teased and waved a disapproving finger from the competitor's seats; behind her was Selphie waving the same foam finger from yesterday, "Tsk tsk, Nami."

"You're on!" Axel slapped his munny down on the bleachers. The sound of a bell ringing indicated that the match had begun.

Roxas immediately ran to his brother and slashed him with his blades in an 'x' formation. Sora easily blocked it with his Ultima and sent his brother flying back. The blond quickly regained his balance and landed on his feet.

"Huh," Roxas smirked, "Impressive."

"You ain't seen nothing yet, bro." To taunt him, Sora waved his keyblade around in circles. Roxas took it as a challenge and charged again.

Their battle pace quickened after that. The twins were very quick on their feet and agile. It was as if the weapons were specifically designed for them. This did not go unnoticed by the three professionally trained wielders.

"They're good." Terra complimented, "Real good."

"With some real training, they'd be great." Ventus balled his fist and smiled. Aqua too, looked impressed.

Roxas took the offensive lead and slashed at his brother continously, leaving Sora no choice but to defend himself. And the fact that Roxas wielded two blades made it even harder to dodge his swift attacks. The two were currently tumbling in the air, fighting for dominance. Then somehow, Roxas managed to slam his brother down and disarm him, sending his blade off to the edge of the arena. With Sora hopelessly on his knees, Roxas grinned and pointed his Oblivion at Sora's head.

**Roxas:** 1

**Sora:** 0

The brunet just smirked.

Just as Axel was about to hand Namine her well-deserved munny, Sora suddenly barrel-rolled and pulled his Ultima out of the ground, slashing his unprepared baby brother.

**Sora:** 1

**Roxas:** 1

"Next point wins it!" Yelled the announcer through the speakers. The crowd went wild and cheered for their favoured twin.

The magic kicked in after that. After a series of spells were cast, Sora found an opening and slashed the blond upward, finishing him off with an aerial sweep after tumbling in the air. After his air combo, it was clear that the older twin had won, though Roxas did put up an extremely good fight. They were the perfect match against each other.

**Victor:** _Sora Hikari_

"YEAH BABY!" Axel cheered, gripping the metal bars and getting all up in Namine's face, "BEST FRIEND BEATS GIRLFRIEND! PAY UP BLONDIE!"

"You..." Roxas wiped his mouth with his sleeve, his voice hoarse but impressed, "You make a good other."

Sora offered his hand out to help him, "You too, Roxas." He took it and pulled Sora into a headlock, giving him a noogie in the process. After the worn-out Roxas was dragged offstage by his best friend, Namine ran to his side and caressed his cheek.

"Roxas, are you okay?" She asked sweetly.

"I will be," He smiled weakly, "As long as I'm in your arms." Axel dropped him after that and rolled his eyes.

"You did great, Roxas." Kairi complimented, afterwards hugging Sora to congratulate him. From behind him, she noticed something. Something... odd.

Terra looked... weak.

For someone that had such a built stature, she didn't think it was possible. His eyes looked a little sad and no longer had that sincere look to them as Aqua used to describe. She followed the direction of his eyes and came across a not-so familiar site. Aqua and Ventus were embracing; and it wasn't their usual sibling-like embrace. It was a romantic embrace.

Ventus and Aqua were... dating? And she knew for a fact that Terra felt something for Aqua, too.

"Hey," After pulling away from her... er, she didn't really know what to make of Sora so she thought the word 'friend' would suffice, Kairi went to comfort their household's bodyguard, "Are you all right, Terra?"

"_I'm_ supposed to be looking out for _you_, remember?" He reminded in a monotone voice.

Kairi placed a hand on the older man's broad shoulder, "Sorry if I'm being blunt, but is this about Aqua and Ventus?"

He just closed his eyes and sighed, answering her question in a different manner, "Kairi, if you want something done, do it before it's too late."

After some thought, she withdrew her hand awkwardly, "R-right..."

"You're fighting." He suddenly said with crossed arms. When Kairi looked at the screen, she saw that Terra was right. Her picture was put right next to-

**Keyblade Battle 25**

_Kairi Lovelock_ vs _Xion Simnel_

"Well this is going to get ugly." Gulped a nervous Sora.

For support, Riku pecked his girlfriend sweetly on the cheek, "You'll be fine." The ebony-haired girl looked unsure but walked onstage nonetheless.

"You're actually going to let her do this?" Sora asked his newest friend.

"Kairi is the only one left who hasn't accepted Xion," Riku crossed his arms and closed his eyes, "Xion only wants to belong and be forgiven. If anything, this battle will settle any bad blood between them."

Just before Kairi walked onstage, Sora grabbed her by the wrist and fixated his eyes on the ground, "Kairi..."

"No," She shook her head, "This time- I'll fight." The instant he let go of her hand he regretted it. The last time Kairi and Xion went at it was at the Hunger Games and that didn't exactly end in the greatest way. Plus, given the fact that Kairi could only swim and play volleyball, Sora wasn't sure she could use a keyblade all that well. At least Xion, who had been born in Downtown, Twilight Town, had some experience in combat. Trouble was always stirring in that town. She probably knew how to handle herself.

After the two were equipped with blades and armour, the bell rung and Kairi was the first to charge with remarkable speed. The look in her eyes was merciless as she attemped to slash Xion across the waist. The short-haired girl tumbled in the air to block it. What happened to the Kairi that offered to buy her tea?

_She's long gone,_ "Kairi, please, let me explain. I want to fix this." Well, it _was_ the only time Kairi would listen. "He loves _you_, all right? He always has."

"I don't want to talk about that." The redhead spat, readying a firaga spell.

When Xion repelled it with blizzaga, she sighed, "Even if you don't talk, just listen." While their fight proceeded, Xion found ways to sneak her words in during Kairi's attacks. Her attacks weren't exactly the fastest, anyway, "He's always been telling the truth, Kairi. Ngh... I liked him, all right? Liked. _I_ kissed _him_, understand? Ah! I'm really sorry about that. I regret it with my life." Kairi eventually slipped; Xion took this opportunity to hit her lightly on the back.

**Xion:** 1

**Kairi:** 0

Kairi's hits grew more powerful after that. Xion could feel it while blocking. Kairi was okay for a girl, but Xion was better. It was clear that the dark-haired girl was slightly faster and skilled.

"I, ngh, shouldn't have done that to you. Because of jealousy I was blind, broken and selfish. But you should see the way he looks at you, Kairi! He loves _you_- it's always been you! He didn't cheat on you! Don't hold back because of _my_ mistake!"

The redhead backed away and panted, tired from her countless slashing, "Wh... I..." Did her ears deceive her? When she looked at Sora, he nodded with hopeful eyes. She didn't know what to think at that moment. All this time she refused to listen or believe Sora's story, and now she hears _this_ side of it. The outcome was exactly the same. It was plain and simple. Xion was the bad guy and Sora wasn't. What was she to do?

A second later, she was slashed from the shoulder down and fell to her knees.

**Victor:** _Xion Simnel_

"You don't have to forgive me," Came Xion's voice and offered hand, "Just accept me. That's all I need." Kairi (though hesitant at first) accepted her hand and was helped up. Xion took this as a good sign.

"I... I lost..." Kairi looked away with watery eyes.

"No," Xion shook her head, grinned, and placed a hand on her opponent's shoulder, "You won what your heart has always desired."

x

By the end of the day, it was proven that yesterday was far more successful. Turns out that, even with the help of their companions, almost everything everyone excelled at took place yesterday. Now they were just hoping for the best and trying new things in the process.

The boys obviously lost in human tetris (in fact Tidus was hit in the balls so much that he was paralyzed for about an hour afterwards) but made up for it when Sora and Roxas took second and third place in skateboarding. Roxas was slightly better than Sora so he managed to rank second. They lost in soccer. Namine won a few art competitions. Pence won some cooking thing. Xion dominated in the anime category of Battle of The Bands. Yuna and Rikku owned in DDR. Tidus and Wakka wiped out in_ Wipeout_. Terra came second in martial arts to Tifa. Aqua ended up winning first place in the keyblade competition.

And last but not least, Hayner (although he looked pretty much like... well, shit) luckily made it to the Struggle finals. Since Struggle took three days to take place, Hayner had one more day to prove himself. But without Olette cheering him on, he thought he had no reason to try his best and show off. He barely got by and almost lost if it weren't for Axel screaming in his face. The poor boy looked so heartbroken that it was literally heartbreaking to look at him. But at least he still made it.

_Text received from_ **Cinque**:  
Good news, Axel! Your ring's finished and was just delivered to me! Swing by and pick it up soon, k?

After reflecting on the day's events and receiving Cinque's text, Axel's heart nearly jumped out of his chest. The ring was ready. He could propose to Larxene. They just needed a little more munny. They made around 150, 000 today. He needed to find more ways to gain it, but with the ring ready, it made him one step closer. He had never worked so hard for a girl in his life.

"How do I look?" Roxas emerged from the bathroom and twirled in front of the full body mirror in his room. He was wearing a dress that hung loosely on his waist so that it wouldn't expose his manly muscles. After Selphie applied make-up, stuffed Roxas' bra and forced him into a long pink wig, she actually made him look suitable for the pageant and-

"Pretty." Axel cringed, "Yeah, let's just say pretty..."

When Roxas looked in the mirror, he leapt back with wide eyes, "I look like Nicki Minaj!"

"The pink doesn't suit you." The redhead tossed him a curly, red wig. It wasn't fiery red like his- it was more like Vanille's.

When Roxas swapped wigs, Sora happened to walk in and applaud, "Wow! You make one pretty ginger lady! I'd totally date you." It seemed the older twin had a thing for redheads. Speaking of redheads, he couldn't shake the feeling that Kairi had been avoiding him since the keyblade incident with Xion. He hadn't seen her since. He didn't even get to help her with her wardrobe just as Axel was doing with Roxas.

"You just made it _so_ awkward." Roxas blushed red from embarassment. Really, what were you supposed to do when your _twin_ said they'd date you?

"Whatever. You look somewhat like a girl, that's all that matters." Axel then took a few cue cards off Roxas' bed and began reading their contents, "So Selphie did a little research on some practice questions for the pageant. Let's see how well you can answer these, okay?" Sora plopped on his brother's bed, intrigued on the outcome.

"What are some of your hobbies?"

"Well," Roxas tapped his chin, "I play the guitar, I sing, I skateboard, play soccer, blitzball-"

Axel cut him off, "Okay, _no_. That last part was all wrong. Roxas, you're in a freaking beauty pageant. Sugarcoat tons of crap. They're looking for girly little miss perfects, okay? I need girly answers. Instead of skateboarding, say you like... chase around unicorns or something."

"But that's who I am." Roxas pouted.

"Well you're not Roxas anymore. You're Roxanne. Now try again. What do you look for in a guy?"

"..."

"Fine, I'll pick another one. What makes you most uncomfortable?"

"What do you think?" Roxas asked sarcastically, flaunting the hem of his dress. Sora was very amused.

"Roxanne, come on. Here's another question. If you were to be any type of underwear, what would you be and what colour? Explain."

"What does that have anything to do with- who the heck asks that?"

"We'll skip that. What's your favourite movie?"

"Saw 3D-"

"Roxas!"

"Sorry! Uh... uh... Mean Girls?"

"Better. Who do you think is the sexiest man alive?"

"Roxas Hikari-Aethon."

Axel facepalmed himself, "This is going to take forever. And for the record, the correct answer was Axel Oryxine."

* * *

"Stop that, Riku. Oh my gosh. Oh my _gosh_! Riku, STOP!" Whined Sora. He was now fluctuating his arms around like an idiot with a wii controller in one of his hands, "You're being so cheap!" The older teen just laughed at his friend's antics. Roxas and Hayner, who were also playing, were equally pissed as Sora.

The household came to the agreement that today would be a less stressful day. The only events that were to be done were Struggle and the pageant. Everyone, after two days of hard work, deserved a bit of a break. Tomorrow would be rather interesting with swimming and whatnot, anyway.

"Oh my gosh, is that Super Smash Bros Brawl?" Kairi, who just came skipping down the stairs giddily for breakfast, insisted, "Move aside, gentlemen. Let a real player through."

"Gladly," Hayner, who was currently Marth and _wasn't_ wearing any makeup or fancy clothing, muttered, "As long as you're not cheap like Riku and pick Pit."

"No way! It's all about Kirby!" The redhead cheered, "Now someone hand over a controller."

Princess Peach, or in this case, Sora, offered her his controller, "Here, Kai."

Her mood came to a sudden drop. It turned into a mixture of confusion and nervousness. "N-no thanks, Sora. I changed my mind. I have to get ready for the pageant." She rushed up the stairs without another word.

"What was that all about?" Asked Jigglypuff (Roxas). Namine was hard at work by his side, sketching for another competition. Before Sora answered, Xion pranced into the living room and plopped down next to her boyfriend. Roxas found the answer to Kairi's odd behaviour.

"Pit? Really Riku, really?" Xion playfully punched his shoulder, to which he laughed. Sora went to the kitchen for some juice. Axel joined the gamers in Sora's place. When they started the game, Hayner began to feel uncomfortable. While Xion played, Riku had his arms around her waist. Roxas had his over Nami's shoulders. Axel was alone, but he did have Larxene. Sora had Kairi. Everyone had a pair.

Everyone except him.

He was put into some depressing thoughts until he snapped back into reality with Axel's obnoxious yelling.

"FALCON PUNCH! YEAH BITCHES! BOW DOWN!" Axel jumped on the couch and threw punches at his chest whilst letting out a battle cry. He won and Hayner didn't even notice. Was he so distracted about Olette that he couldn't focus on a _video game_? Holy crap. He got it bad.

The gamer suddenly felt down and decided that he needed a nap. He needed energy for the Struggle finals later. Without another word, he started walking up the stairs only to collide with the very woman who had stolen his thoughtsin her evening gown for the pageant. She had hurt him so bad. He never anticipated that the pain would be this bad. But even so, he couldn't help but think that she looked-

"Beautiful." He mumbled, pulling his old beanie hat over his eyes; he meant beautiful in more ways than one, "Good luck." Before she could say anything he shoved her lightly with his shoulder and continued up the spiral staircase.

x

Beautiful.

Olette never associated herself with the word before. Sure she thought she was... somewhat pretty, but she never thought she was beautiful. Selphie did great with her hair and makeup, but was that why Hayner called her beautiful? He never commented on her appearance before. It felt... good.

"Up next, Olette Lovet." Said the same host from Battle of The Bands, Vaan. The pageant was already coming to an end and was already at the final event- the deadly interview. They recently had the talent and swimsuit competition and since Xion didn't exactly want to join the pageant, she modelled in the swimsuit category in disguise as Roxas' female version.

Kairi, Selphie, Yuna, Rikku, Roxanne and Vanille just finished their interviews, so now, it was Olette's turn. After her were some snooty girls that Kairi recognized. They were the same Sora fangirls she faced continously.

"So Ms. Lovet," One of the judges clasped their hands together, "What makes you beautiful?" Selphie and Kairi probably killed that question. One of them was bound to win the crown and munny.

_What an ironic question,_ Olette bit her lip and placed a hand on the mic, "W-well..." _Stuttering is bad. Think, Olette. Think._ She had never hesitated so much to answer a question.

"Beautiful..." Her hands were beginning to sweat and the spotlight was shining _way_ too brightly in her eyes, "By definition, beautiful is an adjective used to describe things that supposedly have beauty." She could practically hear Selphie facepalming herself. The judges looked unimpressed as they jotted some things down.

_That was terrible._ Olette furrowed her brows. This wasn't exactly something you could study from a textbook. _Think, Olette. Come on._

Then a thought hit her. What if Hayner called her beautiful _not_ because of the hair and makeup? He liked her, didn't he? Hayner wasn't shallow to only like her for her appearance. Hayner didn't like her because she was beautiful. It was the complete opposite. So really, Hayner was the reason she was beautiful.

She had never felt so loved and cared for until he showed up. She had never had so much fun. She never laughed so hard. She never smiled so much. She never felt so alive until Hayner. Did she really throw all of that away just because she was scared of a tiny little chance? She pushed him away because she was scared of pushing their relationship apart. He never gave up on her, so why would he give up on their relationship? They could make it work. _I'm so stupid_. _How could I only realize this now?_

"I'm sorry." The brunette breathed into the mic, looking distressed, "I've made a mistake." All the audience heard was the sound of a mic drop on the hardwood floor and fast clacking heels. When Olette bolted out the door, Selphie didn't hesitate to remove her heels and run after her. She didn't have to guess where she was going. It was pretty obvious.

The Struggle finals.

* * *

_This is bad..._ Thought a pessimistic Sora, _This is really bad..._ Hayner was the only sole survivor left in their household to win Struggle. Problem was, Hayner was doing even worse than yesterday. He had enough rest and everything, but he just didn't have enough will power.

"Come on Hayner!" Yelled the brunet, "Get up! You can do this man! Don't give up! GET UP!" Sora's pep talk obviously didn't work seeing that the blond was still face down on the stage, gripping a blue bat in one hand.

"You better get up blondie!" Threatened Axel, "If you don't, say goodbye to your Black Ops disk!" Gamers surrounding the pyromaniac_ ooh'd_.

"Wow, he didn't even budge." Sora hung his head down in sync with his brother's best friend, "I guess it's-"

"Not over." Came an out-of-breath voice from behind the twins. A tired looking Olette with a ripped dress pushed through the crowd desperately. When she finally reached the edge of the arena, she jumped on without warning and lifted Hayner up by the collar. Her Hayner. The Hayner without the makeup or the fancy clothes. The boy in the beanie hat. The two boys were speechless.

"Wh..." He moaned sadly before fluttering his eyes open. They widened in complete and utter shock.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered breathlessly, "Hayner, please don't give up."

"You mean that?" He asked in disbelief. He could tell that she wasn't just talking about Struggle.

"Yes. I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

"How can I trust that you won't run away after saying that?" He squeaked. As an answer, she sealed his lips with a kiss. A burst of will power spread throughout Hayner's entire body. She liked him back. She ACTUALLY liked him back! That kiss definetely felt more than just a summer love.

Amongst the cheering crowd, Sora and Axel screamed the loudest. Axel was even waving around his shirt.

When Olette pulled away, she merely grinned and said, "I won't run, I promise. We'll make things work." Hayner nodded with a determined smile. When the referee forced Olette off the stage, she hugged him tightly, promised to explain everything to him later and jumped off.

"What did I miss?" Asked Selphie who had just arrived with Kairi and their girlfriends (plus Roxas- pardon, Roxanne, who was removing the socks in her bra) from the beauty pageant. Sora pointed a shaky finger at the large screen that provided the live feed from a few moments ago. It showed Olette's full on kiss on the lips and the brunette beauty herself cheering on the sidelines. The pageant girls squealed.

"Aw, damn!" Selphie threw her heels on the floor infuriatedly, "I missed it! My life sucks!" As if to contradict her statement, the girly girl's cellphone began ringing. She answered it and found out some shocking news. "R-really? Oh my gosh! Really?"

"What is it?" Asked an excited Kairi.

"It's Vaan! He wants us back at the pageant immediately! Well, uh, Lette's disqualified, but there's better news! The judges have made their decisions and..." Selphie paused for dramatic effect, "I WON!"

"Congratulations!" The pageant girls glomped her in a bone-crushing hug. Axel merely continue to wave his shirt around with Roxas fistpumping by his side. In the midst of it all, Selphie received another unknown call. She ordered everyone to shut up. "Hello? Who's this? ... I-Irvine? But how did you-"

_"I got your number from your generous friend named Kairi."_ Said the male voice on the other line, _"She passed me with some depressed blond kid right after you did."_

Kairi just winked. When Sora gave her a thumbs up, his ex just looked away. Selphie just mouthed a 'thank you' as she continued to take the call. By the time Selphie shut her phone, it was clear that Irvine asked her out. The girls squealed and glomped her again. Teens around were beginning to move away out of annoyance, but they didn't care. Things were working out again.

It was needless to say that Hayner won the Struggle tournament, too.

* * *

**The next day**

"No."

"Yes."

"_No_."

"Yes."

"NO."

"YES."

"_NO_!" The oldest Hikari twin slammed the palm of his hand onto the dining table, staring at his brother's best friend in disapproval, "I am _not_ doing this, Axel!"

"What's all the ruckus about?" Roxas emerged from the kitchen wearing his pink apron, a pan with scrambled eggs in one hand.

"Two words." Axel shot Sora a sly look, "Kissing. Booth."

"_What_?" Roxas shrieked, "No! Dude, you're gonna ruin the epic soap opera going on between Sora and Kairi! I had a feeling they were going to get together today, too..."

"No chance..." The brunet slumped his shoulders, "She's ignoring me."

"Okay, you two aren't looking at the big picture here," The pyro rubbed his temples and sighed, "Don't you think this will help the Kairi issue? She'll get jealous, ah? Ahhhh?" Sora just stared at him blankly. Axel stared daggers in return, "Look. We're almost at the million mark. With my household friends and Lightning's household helping this time, I think we can actually make it. We need this boost. Please, Sora. We'll charge 100 munny per kiss. It's like... one second each. It's for a noble cause!"

"Why me?" He mumbled.

"Because Roxie has a girlfriend (and he wore pantyhose yesterday- you owe this to him), Hayner has a girlfriend, Riku has a girlfriend, _I'm_ too sexy and am on the verge of getting my girlfriend back, and_ you_ were the lead singer of The Oathkeepers." He winked, "You're the most famous one! Did you see the amount of girls that were all over you in volleyball? That's 1500 munny right there! _Plus_ it'll make Kairi jealous!"

"I don't want to make her jealous," Sora said through gritted teeth, "But I'll only do it for half an hour. Just for you, and only you. After that, I have to compete in the swimming competition, okay?"

"Good enough. That should get us tons of cash." Axel rubbed his hands together in a sinister fashion while cackling evilly, "As for us, my dear Roxas..."

The sunkist blond squeaked as his BFFL revealed a large sign that read _**'CAR WASH'**_.

**After breakfast**

"To be honest, I thought you liked Namine at some point." Said Xion while twirling a piece of her boyfriend's perfect silver hair around her finger. The two were currently occupying the biggest couch in the living room with the other household members lounging around on the other seats.

"Namine is a nice girl," Riku whispered, "She helped me heal my scars and taught me trust. But you, Xion, healed my heart and taught me love." When he leaned in for a kiss, the girls aww'd while Hayner snickered and threw a pillow at the couple. He threw an arm around Olette afterwards while handing her a controller.

Selphie applauded and Riku and Xion, "You two are _so_ cute."

"Meh, we're better." Claimed the gamer while pulling Olette closer.

"You two just kissed. It doesn't exactly mean you're together." Axel teased with his tongue out.

"Excuse me!" Hayner defended, "For the record, I asked her out properly after that Struggle tournament! And then some... interesting things happened..." The couple blushed. Olette even buried her face in Hayner's shoulder.

"Congratulations bro," Axel clapped along with the household, "You're a man!"

"Now let's see if you can beat Xion and Riku." Roxas challenged. Namine elbowed him.

"Okay, lemme see," Hayner looked at his girlfriend with loving eyes, "Your beauty is as stunning as a flashbang." The crowd boo'd but Olette pecked her boyfriend on the cheek anyway. Pillows came flying their way but they ignored it.

"Our turn." Roxas winked, taking his lovers hands in his own in a sweet serenade. He sung a few phrases in Italian (Sora easily recognized these songs from their mother), and when he was finished, he took the back of Namine's hand and kissed it, "Cara mia, ti penso sempre. Ti amo."

"Wow, he is _smooth_." Axel placed a hand over his heart as he sighed with the girls, "Even _I_ feel loved."

"Yeah Roxas," Sora cheered, "Like a boss!" Hayner just called him a show-off.

"What did he just say?" Namine asked with a giggle.

Sora cleared his throat and said dramatically in his redheaded love's direction, "My darling, I always think of you. I love you." Kairi merely turned red and rushed off to the kitchen. Xion and Selphie sighed.

"You know something?" Hayner smirked, "After Axel hooks up with Larxene, you two are next."

Sora blushed, "I hope so."

Namined clasped her hands together with twinkling eyes, "And I have a feeling that it's gonna happen _real_ soon."

* * *

"Kairi, to be honest, hun, I don't think avoiding him is gonna help." Advised a truthful Selphie. She was currently making her way towards the swimming competition with her best friend whilst putting sunscreen on her fairly tanned arms. Namine went for support while Aqua, Rikku and Yuna decided to compete along with the young redhead. They were to meet Lightning and her girls at the pool, too. Perhaps they could do the relay together and disperse for the individual rounds.

"I can't face him," Kairi sighed while stretching her shoulder muscles, "Not yet. I've yet to think things through."

"What's there to think through?" Her babyhood friend asked in annoyance, "He loves you, you love him. Done. Now go up, kiss him, get naked and get together!" Kairi whacked her across the head with her beach towel. "Ouch! Okay, maybe not the get naked part, but seriously, you two should hook up soon. There's barely two weeks left. Time's ticking."

"Yeah Kairi," Yuna agreed, "Tidus has told me how miserable you were back on the island. If you don't act soon, you'll suffer through that again."

"Yunnie's right," Rikku pointed a finger at Kairi accusingly, "If you don't do something, it's back to square one!"

"I know." Kairi snapped her head in another direction, "It's just... not yet... I need to think for just a little bit more. I'll talk to him soon, I promise. Just now... not now. I can't look at him."

"I can see why." Said a monotone Paine. She gestured her head over to a rather interesting scene.

Sora stood all adorable and everything, but the catch was where he was standing. Inside a wooden booth. A wooden booth painted with various reds and pinks. A booth with balloons. A booth that read "**Kissing Booth**" at the very top in not-so-neat calligraphy. There was at least a hundred girls fighting in the line-up. It made Kairi's blood boil.

"Ooh," Selphie leaned back harshly with her white-rimmed sunglasses halfway down her eyes, "He's playing hard ball."

As a girl got on her tippy toes to lightly peck Kairi's man on the lips, the Destatiian girl's heart broke. Flashbacks of the past consumed her in an instant. It hurt so much to see those lips that were on hers many times to be against someone else's. She looked away and clutched her aching chest. What if he felt a spark with one of those girls?

_"Kairi, if you want something done, do it before it's too late."_

_Am I... already too late? _She lost her breath at the thought.

She shook her head. It seemed that she had to act faster than she had anticipated.

x

"How much longer do I have?" Asked a miserable Sora. He felt as if he had betrayed Kairi and it was_ killing_ him.

Hayner checked his watch, "8 minutes. You're almost there, man." Sora groaned and pecked another girl's lips quickly before turning away in disgust. The girl, on the other hand, sighed dreamily and danced away. Right beside Sora's booth was Axel's car wash station. He, Roxas, Tidus, Snow, Noctis and Hope were all currently shirtless, surrounded by girls and washing cars. Riku didn't join for obvious reasons, but he did help with counting the munny.

As Axel expected, business was booming. Why hadn't he thought of raising munny this way before?

"Working at the car wash, woohhhohhhh yeaahh yeaaaah!" Snow's off-tune singing was cut off by an all-too-familiar blond.

"What are you doing here?" Axel asked Cloud and his gang, his voice laced with venom.

"We came to help!" Cheered an enthusiastic Yuffie from behind.

Axel snickered, "And what makes you think we need your help?" To answer his question, Cloud and Zack both took off their shirts simoultaneously. A swarm of girls and more cars suddenly appeared in the lot. Tifa and Yuffie did the same thing but attracted males this time. Axel groaned. They did need them.

"Why are you doing this?" Tidus asked curiously.

"You're not the only band that feels bad." Zack bumped his well-built chest with his own fist.

Cloud took a sponge off the floor, "I owe a lot to you. I was going to give you a cheque, but knowing you, Oryxine, you probably wouldn't accept it. So accept our help instead." Axel looked at Sora as if to get permission. The brunet nodded slowly. It was time for them to leave, anyway.

"Fine. You can help. It's my break, anyway. Better not be undermining us!" Axel grabbed Sora by the collar and dragged him off to the pool. He had something up his sleeve for more fundraising. It would serve a double-purpose.

* * *

**Pool**

It was practically given that Kairi would dominate in swimming, being born on _Destiny Islands_ and all. The girls didn't win the relay, but Kairi's first place trophy in the individual female rounds made up for the loss. She breezed through the finals with the fastest time. She even beat Lightning who was in the military.

"Simply amazing, Kairi." Axel applauded. The shorter redhead's eyes widened, searching the area while securing herself with her beach towel. "Calm down, will you? He's still competing under the male division." The girls looked lost until they figured out that he was talking about Sora. There were four pools in the area- Sora was competing in the two male reserved pools.

"I see..." Kairi said melancholicly, remembering the booth.

"Lighten up!" He said, bringing her chin up. Then, as if he understood her situation, he said, "If you have a dream, don't wait. Act." He pushed her towards a crowd of girls that were gossiping about something unknown to her.

"Oh look, if it isn't Kairi Lovelock." Said one of the snooty girls in her revealing swimsuit, "I don't care what anyone says about you. You'll still be a stupid slut in my eyes. Did you see your performance on Battle of The Bands? Totally fake!"

"I know!" Came an annoying high-pitched voice, "I didn't believe her for one second!"

"What's going on here?" Selphie and the girls backed her up though Kairi didn't look the least bit offended.

"Axel Oryxine has made an interesting proposition," Another girl answered, "He organized a race. A race between girls in which the victor gets to go on a fancy date with Sora Hikari tonight. Each competitor must pay munny to participate, though. Mr. Hikari certainly doesn't come cheap."

Kairi's eyes widened, "What?"

"What's wrong, Kairi?" One of the girls taunted, "Afraid one of us will take your man from you?"

"Listen here, girlie-" Selphie began but was held back by Kairi.

"What race are we talking here?" The redhead asked with eyebrows raised.

"Swimming." A different girl answered. Selphie and the other girls snickered.

"Do you know who you're talking to?" Selphie flaunted Kairi's trophy in their faces, "She'll merk you in five seconds."

"No," Kairi shook her head, "I'm not doing this."

Her companions nearly lost it, "_What_? !"

"Guys, no. I can't." She began walking away, beach towel tucked neatly under her arm, "Let's just go check on the guys."

"Typical," Said a bitchy voice, "Running away again. She's just scared that one of us will take her boytoy away from her. I understand, seeing that_ I'll_ be the one to win. Think about it. Us, under the stars, sharing a kiss... he'll fall for me just like that. You should've seen him at the booth. _Damn_ that boy can kiss."

Kairi cringed at the thought. She couldn't stand thinking about Sora kissing any other girl other than herself. Plus, these were the girls that always gossiped about her. The ones that believed she didn't love him. The ones that knew nothing about her. The ones that didn't care. These girls were plain bitches. She couldn't let Sora go on a date with any of these girls. If there was anyone Sora was going to date, it was her. If there was anyone Sora was going to kiss under the stars tonight, it was going to be her. Not anyone else.

She had her chance to act. Question was... was she going to take it? _You're an islander from Destiny Islands, Kairi. You were born with swimming. You can do this. You were born for this._

_"If you have a dream, don't wait. Act."_

And act she did.

x

They made it.

They _actually_ made it.

_1, 000, 000_ munny in four days.

Axel thought it was hardly possible, but when Riku showed him the calculations (including all the munny from their flourishing car wash business), it was official. Their goal had been reached. When all hope seemed lost it seemed that they still found a way to get by. It was one hell of a journey. Enemies were forgiven. New friendships emerged. Romance bloomed. Things were working out.

So with tattered, dirty wet clothing and a ring in his pocket, the redhead was ready to go. He didn't care how he inappropriate he looked at the moment. The instant he found out his goal was reached he bolted. He was willing to turn the whole island upside down in search for Larxene, because apparently, she wasn't home.

It was around 8:00pm when he eventually found her eating dinner on the patio of a fancy restaurant with some friends at the east boardwalk. It was the ideal scene for romance. Night sky lit by colourful lanterns swinging from light post to light post, waves crashing on the shore, soft music playing from the speakers, a light summer breeze blowing, dandelions floating idly by...

With this in mind, Axel approached her. It didn't take much work seeing that she was on ground level with the boardwalk. Without him knowing, some of his fundraising companions went to spy on him from behind a few bushes.

"Larxene," He wheezed, "There you are. I've been looking all over for you!"

Her expression was unreadable, "Why?" Her friends, though, looked flattered as they giggled.

"Because..." He coughed, "I need to ask you something."

She looked disgusted, but somewhere deep down, she was glad that he was trying for once, "Do you really expect me to take you back after what you did? Look at you. You're a mess. An unwilling, undedicated mess. How romantic, Axel."

"You're right." He took on a more serious tone, looking her straight in the eyes, "I am a mess. I'm breathless, sweaty, in tattered, wet clothing and I'm not the most romantic guy in the galaxy. I can't randomly break out into song, I can't pull off a tux, I can't write a poem for shiz, I can't get you flowers because I'd probably burn them, I can't be perfect, but maybe I can be perfect enough for you." He took a deep breath and placed a hand on the small, circular dinner table, " Look, I know I lost Battle of The Bands and supposedly 'cheated on you', but I came here to fix all of that."

"I don't see any fixing." She said bitterly.

Axel chuckled, "Same impatient Larxene."

Her eyes narrowed, "_What_?"

"Nothing. Just shut up and listen. Maybe this will change your mind." Without hesitation, the redhead got down on one knee and pulled out a small box from his pocket, "Larxene, I know I've disappointed you so many times, but I've been working my ass off for the last four days. With the help of some friends, we managed to raise the munny I lost from Battle of The Bands. Larxene, we can give our family a nice start."

Before she could comment, he shushed her, "No, I'm not done. This ring. Do you see this ring?" He opened the box to reveal the most exquisite ring Larxene had ever seen, "The girl you thought I was using to cheat on you had her dad customize this. I was only hanging out with her to check its progress. I couldn't tell you that night. It would've ruined this moment."

"Axel..." He could see the tears welling up on the brink of her eyes.

"Oh my gosh," Whispered Hayner from the bushes, "The witch _does_ have a heart!" Selphie whacked him across the head.

"Larxene, ever since we were kids, you'd always be there for me. You've been there after every heartbreak and hardship and don't you dare think I haven't noticed. I'm sorry it took me this long to realize it, but I'm in love with you. I want to help you. I'll support you until the very end. I'm going to commit this time, I swear. I know we're only nineteen and that I'm not the most profound guy in the world, but hopefully you'll appreciate it when I ask you this..." With the deepest breath he ever took, he popped the question, "Larxene Cloryx, will you marry me?"

A crowd had gathered, awaiting her reply. Tons were filming the whole thing. Larxene was so shocked. Axel couldn't tell whether she was happy or unsure. Knowing her complex personality, it was probably both.

"Y-you're only doing this because I'm pregnant." She insisted with tears, "You're only trying so hard because I'm pregnant."

"No," Axel shook his head, "Not just because of that. I tried so hard because I've never seen you so scared, so lost, so lonely... I don't ever want to see one of my longest best friends, or... my lover that way. I'll try my best, Larxene. Give me a chance. Please. You can beat me up, call me names, bitch at me all you want, but I'm never going to leave you. After all these years, I'm still here, aren't I?"

She still didn't respond. Axel sighed and slowly began to close the box. A hand suddenly stopped him. His heart stopped.

"Yes." She answered, "Yes, I'll marry you. It's a little crazy, I'll admit, but I'll marry you."

"She said yes..." Axel whispered to himself, "SHE SAID YES!" As the redhead cheered and lifted Larxene off the ground, the audience clapped and congratulated the couple. Their friends hiding in the bushes emerged and glomped them in a hug.

"Aww, Axel!" Roxas patted his best friend's back, "I didn't think you had it in you to be so cute!"

"Well, I _am_ very spontaneous." He winked, focusing his attention on his fiancee again. They stared at each other for a few seconds before slowly leaning to kiss each other passionately. The crowd cheered even louder as more pictures were taken. Yuffie and Snow whistled the loudest. Roxas wanted to cry at the scene. His girlfriend was actually crying on his shoulder. Riku and Xion squeezed their hands together and blushed. Hayner grinned and threw an arm over Olette. Selphie didn't exactly have Irvine with her at the moment, but he was in her heart. Things were falling into place perfectly.

But, far from the proposal, there was still one piece of the puzzle that was yet to be fulfilled.

Sora Hikari sat in his seat dressed semi-formally for the night's events. How Axel forced him into this date was beyond him. But, since they recently reached the million munny goal, he was glad to help.

The brunet currently sat alone at a table for two at the most romantic restaurant. It was outdoors and took place atop a balcony lit by the 1000 fountains event going on not too far below them. Basically, while classic Disney songs played in the background and played the actual scene on a very large screen, a thousand numerously coloured fountains would change colour and sprout corresponding to the music. It was truly magnificent and inspiring to watch.

_Text received from_ **Roxas:**  
Did you hear? Larxene said yes! Our lil Axel's getting married! T-T !

Sora smiled purely at the text. Another one of his friends got the happy ending they deserved. As he put his phone away, Sora rested his head on his hands with the support of his elbows on the table. What kind of girl won the swimming competition? He was leaning more towards a crazed fangirl that he really didn't want to be with, but when his date occupied the seat in front of him a few minutes later, his heart stopped. She was _gorgeous_.

"Sorry I'm late," Apologized the familiar angelic voice, "Getting ready took longer than I thought."

"K-Kairi?"

* * *

**I think we can all guess what's about to happen next ;D Just because of that, I'm NOT going to put any 'in the next chapter' spoilers. To be honest I really don't know exactly what I'm going to do. But yes, the next chapter should be quite... nice :) The song that was playing on the speakers when Axel proposed was The Script's "For The First Time". I thought it kind of matched :)**

**So, summing up what I've been doing the last three weeks. I'm still in Maryland, by the way. My vacation got extended so I've been here for almost two months :) So, to make things quick, here's a list of some rather memorable moments; went to an amusement park called King's Dominion, got my soul ripped out on all the extreme rides (it was hella awesome, mind you), party rocked to LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It" with my friends AT the park (in fact one of them even took of their shirt and waved it around... we do this everywhere we go now), had a friend scream "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" before a ride started and shrieked "SHE SAID YES!" when it ended, won a talent competition with my cousins (our dance won guys :D), went to Virginia Beach, went camping, got literally more than twenty HUUGE bites (I swear those bugs are mutated), got sick, canoed into a forbidden pathway in the creepiest lake of life (the guys with us literally started screaming. We girls were just about to explore the path even more until we heard them screaming 'AHHHH! KILL IT! KILL IT!' from afar), used an empty juice bottle as a molotov to try and kill spiders while on the canoe, finished Kingdom Hearts II on freaking PROUD MODE while I was sick (and it only took three days. HELL YEAH, new record), almost killed Sephiroth on Proud Mode equipped with only 2 potions on level 72 (LIKE A BOSS), some new friends of mine hacked Super Smash Bros Brawl (I've been playing that a lot lately...) and turned Marth into Sora (I freaked out) and last but not least, played Filipino water tag (it's just like tag but to tag a person you have to lift their foot out of the water) with my super awesome Flip friends here in Maryland and partied at this awesome pool party we had at an awesome pool (by the way you guys do know I'm Filipino, right? Now you know why I'm a party animal LOL) and-**

**HOLY CRAP GUYS. HOLY CRAP. Omg. Omg. I'm seriously not even joking right now, but there was just an earthquake five minutes ago. If you live around the DC area, you know what I'm talking about. Holy. My head is spinning. My heart's racing. Holy crap. That was a freaking strong earthquake. I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WASHING MACHINE MAN. It's okay, nothings destroyed or anything. No one's harmed, but that shook the freaking house like crazy O.O IF YOU FELT IT, ARE YOU GUYS OK? D:**

**HOLY SHIZ. HOLD UP. LEMME GET THE NUTELLA AND PANDISAL (filipino bread). ITS GONNA CALM ME DOWN.**

**A-anyway, now that I'm done eating, I'm just gonna reply to your reviews. It'll calm me down and I haven't done that in awhile. PLUS, oh my gosh guys. Wow. 60 reviews for that last chapter. Yes, I'm going to reply to all of them. I'm really trying hard not to squeal and cry right now. Thank you SO much. Also, thanks for the manga support :D I can't believe I'm THIS CLOSE to 1000 reviews! OMG!**

**Starlight172: That's really sweet of you to make an account just to review! That means a lot, so thank you very much :)**

**XxHarukoChanxX: Trust me you're not the only one jealous of Xion. Riku as a boyfriend? Hubba hubba heck yeah I'd be jealous. And it really means a lot that I've inspired you! It's something you hope for as an author :)**

**Jared Someone: Jared... I... omg... I... my heart literally stopped when I saw your username. Where... the f***... have you BEEN? I was going ballistic! I was about to hunt down your friends on facebook and ask them if you were alive! D: Jared, omg, thank God you're alive. I missed you so much. I was so worried. Oh... *smacks you* DONT YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN. But it's nice to see that you're doing well. Good boy, Jared, studying your little arse off. And did you really cry reading RokuNami's past? Aww :3 I miss you, bro. Let's talk more sometime.**

**CupcakeLerman: Wow, that means so much. Synonymous with KH? That would be like. A dream come true. Omg. And if you ever did walk up to a kh person that knows Teenage Wasteland, tell me. I'll gladly die of happiness. And SERIOUSLY? You're typing on a PLANE? That. Is. Hella awesome.**

**TheMaskedGirl: That review wasn't crappy! Why? Because you took the time to review anyway, that's what matters :)**

**Autumn's Sorrow Winter's Pain: I'm not gonna lie, your username is epic.**

**Allers3: Haha, yeah, everyone seems to like that volleyball distraction scene. I'm glad you liked it! It was fun to write haha.**

**PinkFloydFanGirl: Thank you :) I know some bands, so I might check out your story some time if I have the time :)**

**Sypherianlp: Actually I found out that it wasn't Captain America. It was some random other guy... LOL...**

**Sozic: LOL yeah I feared that my fans would think I was dead. But I am most definetely NOT dead. If I was, I would've sent someone to hack my account and tell my fans. I can't die on you guys!**

**x-BaByKo-x: Lol hi chelsi. I'm in your house right now. Typing. In Paolo's room. After the EARTHQUAKE. "I NEED NUTELLA! AHHH!" ... KAI *insert heart here* oh, the sand picture... *wink wink nudge* I SNAGGED A GOOD ONE. **

**The Result Of Squffie: LOL, Marluxia is the gay cousin of the grim reaper? I should've seen that coming. And do you actually want the Cloud on DDR pic? I can actually give it to you. Just give me your email lol. And I beg to differ. That Terra looked REALLY buff LOL.**

**GreyPurpleBlack: LOL OMG. Hermoine's bag. Funny. And I guess even if Hayner is a dork, I designed him to be a lovable dork :3**

**Noobster: Really? You're 15 too? I bet you're older than me though lol. I'm a december baby.**

**Tyjet Ansatsu: Glad I don't fail to impress you, fellow ninja.**

**Summoners: Awe, I'm glad my stories make you smile. It's what I hope for :) And oh yes, I have one hell of a life. It can be both a good and a bad thing, but it's mostly a good thing :D And omg, 4 in the morning? Thank you, but you should get some sleep! lol**

**vanitasfanXX: Most reviewed on fanfic? Oh, I wish haha. And yes, I'll admit this story is long, but I guarantee that half the words come from these longass author notes lol.**

**The Traveler: Aww thanks :)**

**Rivendell101: First off, thank you for reading all my stories :D That REALLY means so much to me. Most of your predictions were actually right, haha.**

**XxShelby-ChanxX: Oh, it was you! Sorry for putting you on the spot lol. If you want to talk to me on fb, feel free to do so. Write on my wall, or something. I tend to see that when my fans add me they get too nervous to talk to me or something lol. And omg, I know. Sora's personality here is to die for *insert heart here***

**California Sandwich: Thank you so much for offering your help! I'm actually leaning more towards the fact that I'm gonna do it. I just need to tweak a few things here and there. And wow, thank you so much about the empathy comment. That was my goal for this story. I want readers to be able to connect with the characters. And She's The Man. Omg. I never get tired of watching that movie :P Thank you for such a meaningful review :)**

**asb227: Thanks :D**

**Phenomenon45: Thank you so much! And you went all the way to a cafe just to read this? Wow, even that means alot to me. And 4 in the morning. What is up with people and 4 in the morning when it comes to Teenage Wasteland? I'm starting to see patterns here lol. And I'm glad you're on happy high when you read my story. As an author I really do want people to be happy while reading- it means you're enjoying it :) You know something? If we ever met, I think we'd be really good friends :)**

**Artism: Omg i know. That's what's so hard about it. Most of the ideas here are original but Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy and Disney will have to say bye bye ): **

**TheYouDriPRED: Omg, I'm sorry you've been in and out of the hospital. Are you alright? Thank you for reading and reviewing, though. That really means alot. :')**

**bluexstarsxlover: To be honest, I like CloudxTifa better. I don't know why. There's just something about them that... clicks to me. Aerith seems to be too innocent for Cloud. She belongs more with happy Zack :D **

**Sakura088: I'm glad you like the title! Alot of people seemed to like it, too :) Thanks.**

**Dusk-Sky: I like TerraxAqua, too. Ven and Aqua seem a little too sibling-ish for my tastes. You'll notice that in the next chapter *wink* LOL I should've pushed Aqua in the way of the pedobear! She could've pwned him with her keyblade! She had a really buff Terra with her, too!**

**Spellbound aka Soragirl4ever: No, I don't think it's weird that you're addicted to a fanfiction. I've been there lol. Well then again, I am pretty weird x) And just because you're 14 and a half doesn't mean your parents won't let you go. Hell, I saw BABIES there. You'll be fine haha. And sorry I couldn't tell you this earlier, but OF COURSE you can use my fic in your fic! It's happened before. Of course you can :3 It's an honour! It's also an honour to be one of your idols T-T !**

**Pandamon: I love your icon. VENTUS. Gah, I love him. Looks like Roxas but acts like Sora x3 Thanks for reviewing !**

**Dreamstation369: I know right? It's because there's a sports festival :)**

**ChocoIsu: It means alot that I can make you happy! I'm sorry you've been feeling down. Whatever it is, I'm sure that it's going to get better!**

**DestinyKeyblader28: Thanks!**

**Zoe The Hunter: Haha, thanks for checking up on the story again anyway :) **

**AKAAkira: Omg. 911. I don't know why, but I have some curse on me that everytime I look at the clock or something, it's 9:11. It's so not cool! And I know about the manga offer. I'll have to change so many things ): I don't know if I can make the fans happy, though. That's what's making me worried :/ And thanks, the party was awesome! **

**Sookdeo: Selphie's much too talkative lol. And yeah. Volleyball hurts. I didn't get hit in the face. Instead, I sprained my ankle. MMMM. AND OMG I KNOW THEY CANCELLED JAKE LONG. WTF. I LOVED THAT SHOW. IT WAS AWESOME.**

**InfinityStream: You know, I guess you are the only one who got the Final Fantasy XIII Versus refere- wait, what reference? XD**

**MusicalSage: Oh don't worry, they need my writing and my designs before they can start it, so FOR SURE the credit is mine. If not, they're getting kicked in the balls. And, surprisingly, I like TerraxAqua better. You'll see that in the next chapter *wink***

**Rytex: I'm sure your story will get there. You just need patience :) And Vanitas was in the story o.o He was Sora and Roxas' dad, remember? And sadly, even if I don't want it to, this story HAS to end ): It only has a few chapters left, but I'm sure they won't be disappointing :)**

**Fuline Lite: Facepalm time? :P And HELL YEAH Kairi enjoyed the view! Heck, I'D enjoy the view. And thanks :)**

**BuBuBoom: Glad to see someone else has something for Greek mythology! That's why I liked Hercules x) And thanks for the nice review :D**

**the Dorky KH Nerd: If people ever did my version of California Girls, I'd praise them lol. **

**Super Toast x: Thanks :)**

**Meryq: Yeah I'm pretty sure the person is 'for real' haha. One of the people in the staff is related to me. Oh, asians. All related somehow LOL. And sure you can use Hunger Royale! **

**Mysterious Figure: It is, isn't it? People find it quite shocking then they remember that they have to divide the amount by ten to get it in dollars xP**

**xCarryOnDancingx: Aww, thank you! :3**

**LittleKeybladeNinja: I'm glad you liked all those crazy events haha. Most of them are based on true stories... haha... and actually, not only was Cloud playing DDR, but Sephiroth was too! xD **

**Mokimoki-chan: Aww, you got goosebumps reading that? It touches my heart when that happens :)**

**TalesofStuff: LOL you're right? Why do people say can't wait when they end up waiting anyway?**

**Nikolas Sur: Actually, yes. I have thought of seperating the boys and girls but don't exactly know how yet :P And no, your english doesn't suck! If you don't mind me asking where are you from and what language are you comfortable with?**

**sunshinemeg82: lol, everyone thought it was from suite life, but it was actually from jake long xD I LOVE how you're using Kairi as an adjective. It makes me so happy :D **

**No name: Uh. Yeah. This person had no username, but... THANKS ANYWAY lol.**

**Q-A The Authoress: Blitzkrieg means lightning war. I thought it matched :) And thank you!**

**Redeeming Endeavor: Ah, this is the one I was waiting for. I've been meaning to talk to you about this earlier. So, in a non-creeper way, I was looking through your fanfic profile (I tend to do that with my favourite authors) and I found out like. The best thing ever. You're filipino. Oh ma gaus. You're FILIPINO. You know something? I'M FILIPINO TOO. We're going to rule the world someday, I swear. We've already covered the dancing and singing community. What's next? But seriously omg that is AWESOME. Can you speak tagalog? Anyway, sorry about freaking out there. Moving on to your review. I agree, the evolution of warfare is indeed interesting. SPESHUL TAKTIKS. Ha, that's cute. You're six feet tall? Well that certainly isn't something you inherited from your Filipino heritage. I'm 5 ft tall -_-. Why are filipino girls so short? Anyway, yeah. You're welcome for the favourite. You certainly deserve it with your amazing writing and whatnot. Oh, and for the record, I'd probably MERK you in Soul Calibur x) Out of curiosity, whose your best character? Mine's Kilik. Like a champ.**

**CherryCola12: you are most certainly welcome :D**

**DeadxColor: LMAO I'm pretty sure you can't eat a rainbow xD. But HEYYYY! FELLOW CANASIAN! How's it hanging? If you don't mind me asking, what kind of asian are you? O:**

**ChuckleBunny: If I was on KHR, holy crap. I'm never leaving. How big is the island? Hella big. Nothing like the small play island on Destiny Islands :P And yes, they are pretty damn rich to be giving away that much munny :P **

**MoonPrincess016: Oh, that's alright. The fact that you're supporting it still makes me very happy ;D**

**paopufruit-to-go: Everytime I reply to your reviews I always think about how cute your username is lol. Anyway, you're asian too? :D If you don't mind me asking... what kind of asian? And aww~ first time a fan says that it's an honour to help with 1000 reviews. You are SO sweet!**

**Craxuan: Sorry for my lack of understanding, but what did you mean by it's possible?**

**the ultimate kh fan: thanks :)**

**Cheese: Lol, love the name. Thanks!**

**beckster411: OMG I MET YOU ON FACEBOOK :D What happened to the Organization? We like. Died LOL. **

**0Wishful-Thoughts0: I know, poor DemDem. That's what he gets for being a pain in the ass to beat in game! *cackles evilly* Okay sorry. Back to the review. And thanks! It's reassuring to know that I have your full support if anything :3**

**Stonekipsta: Thanks so much :)**

**DragoNik: Aww thank you :D ! Do I really deserve it? Maybe... lol. And they were gonna turn kh into a manga. I just haven't followed up on that news yet :/**

**Wow. That took me an hour and a half ro reply to. I think even more because that earthquake scared the crap out of me xD Anyway, yeah. Wow guys. Thank you. If I ever reach 1000 reviews this time round, expect one hell of a next chapter. Thank you so much guys. I would've never made it this far without you. You're the reason my writing has improved. You're the reason the author side of me exists. Seriously. Wow. Thanks for all your support, please review, sorry for any grammar errors, I love you all, and if you felt that earthquake, I hope you're okay!**

**xoKyorii**


	30. Just Like Old Times

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** . ©

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Author's Note (****08/26/11, 9:23am): haha it looks like there's a sad face on the left.**

So I'm currently sitting down with my laptop in front of me, music playing in the background, a skinny white chocolate mocha from Starbucks in hand to feel cool (I wanted to try something new and decided against the whipped cream- big mistake. It's all about the hot chocolate, man! But I still felt so sophisticated in there :D) and a Sora plushie on my lap to celebrate. Why am I celebrating? Well I think it has something to do with the fact that I reached my lifelong (okay, two-year) goal of reaching 1000 reviews yesterday!

Do you know what it was like waking up at 6 in the morning to do laps (have I forgotten to tell you that I come from a family of competitive swimmers? I don't compete though :P) yesterday and finding out I got past 1000 reviews? I felt like Jesus. Okay jk, but I was _so happy_! Wow guys. Thank you _so much_. I FEEL SO ACCOMPLISHED! It's all thanks to you that Teenage Wasteland turned out to be a bigger success than I thought. You make writing worthwhile for me. The fact that you actually like this story so much to have to review is just... wow. I wish I could be cheesier, but I'm saving that for the chapter :P

Thank you so much for your support, guys. It really means a lot to me. And thanks to **California Sandwich** for being the 1000th reviewer! Now thanks to you guys, I might actually tweak a few things in this story and publish it for real- dedicated to you, of course :) Thank you. To celebrate, we're having a virtual rave party. With awesome food. Whatever you want.

And some of you are probably going "White chocolate mocha for 1000 reviews? WITHOUT whipped cream? That's it?" I know. Definetely not enough. But the next time my cousin and I go to the mall, I'm buying us fancy fanfiction cake slices x3. For me and for her because I'm so proud of her :') She started writing and she's so hyped about it. It's so cute. And thank you to those who took my reccomendation of reading her story and reviewing, too! She appreciates it a lot! (She jumped up and down and hugged me :'D)

Kay enough of the pointless rambling. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the moment we've all been waiting for!

* * *

**. Chapter XXX .**

_**. Just Like Old Times .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"Even if our dark past exists, it's not as important as our bright future."_

Sora's date was nothing short of breathtaking.

Her striking red hair was tied into a high ponytail with some strands left to frame her perfect face. She wore light makeup, but even with or without that makeup Sora still couldn't get over those unique purple eyes. Her glossy pink lips looked like candy. He could bet a thousand munny that they were just as delectable and sweet, too. She wore a floral spaghetti strapped dress that flowed just above her knees. It was very thin and transparent, but her beige under layer made up for it. The dress had one ruffle around her chest area. On her waist was a thick light brown lacey belt that defined her curves. Her shoes weren't very classy, but they were comfortable. She went with the classic open-toed gladiator flats. She had her usual oval-shaped necklace around her neck and the same bracelet she wore everyday on her wrist, but that was about it for jewelry.

Long story short, this was the girl of Sora's dreams. Inside and out.

"K-Kairi?" He asked, obviously flabbergasted, "What are you doing here?"

She simply answered with the obvious, "I won." She flashed him a smile that stole his heart.

"You?" Sora pulled on the collar of his blazer, "You're my..." He squeaked, "Date?"

"Yes Sora. I'm your-" She mocked his squeak, "Date."

Wow. He really didn't see that coming. "But why?"

When the waiter handed them their menus, Kairi was already looking through it eagerly to change the subject, "Why don't we order some dinner?"

x

Out of all the couples dining at the restaurant, it was clear that Sora and Kairi were having the most fun. They spoke of their crazy past and adventures on the island. They'd burst out laughing at the exact same time and die down at the same pace, too. The laughing was very frequent with them. They looked so interested in one another. Their chemistry was outstanding.

"Do you remember how we first met?" Kairi hadn't even noticed that she was resting her face on her hands, leaning into Sora a bit more. She couldn't resist. He looked so adorable in his semi-formal getup. He had a black double breasted blazer on paired with jeans, but the band-aid on his cheek kind of ruined it. Why he had one, she'd never know. But still, he was Sora. Only Sora could make a band-aid look cute.

"Of course," Sora answered her question as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "How old were we? We were like. Fourteen. We met at Tidus' beach party right by the shore. It was nice, wasn't it? With the music and lanterns and everything? I'd say it was romantic if it weren't for the fact that you couldn't speak and ran away."

"You had to remember that part, huh?" She mumbled.

Sora chuckled, "Of course! That's the best part! After I introduced myself, I asked for your name and you just ran away!"

"I_ just_ got out of the dentist like half an hour ago!" Kairi defended, "They shot three syringes in my mouth to numb my mouth and fill my cavities! I couldn't speak properly!"

"Okay, Kairi. Okay. Whatever helps you sleep at night." Sora threw his hands behind his head with a toothy grin. She buried her face in her own hands.

"It's okay, Kairi. I thought it was funny and adorable." Chortled Sora who went back to eating his steak dinner, "Besides, we met each other again the next day in summer school anyway. We know how it all went from there." He winked. She blushed. An eerie silence made its way towards the couple.

"So," Kairi spun her pasta on her fork, "I heard that Axel and Larxene are engaged."

After wiping his mouth, Sora shot her his famous grin, "Yeah, they are! Can you believe it? _Axel_ is getting married. Who would've thought, huh? I also heard that Ven and Aqua were dating? It's kind of weird for Terra. To be honest I thought those two were more like siblings."

"They're not dating," The redhead casually placed her hands on her lap, "I spoke to them about it yesterday, actually. Ven and Aqua did go out on a date the same day Riku confessed to Xion but both agreed that it was too awkward. They loved each other in a sibling-like fashion. So yeah. When I told Terra, his mouth twitched. I think he was going for a smile."

"Terra smiling," Sora chuckled, "Now that's a sight to see. I guess it just goes to show that it's never too late." When Sora fed himself another bite, he remembered something, "Oh! I've been meaning to ask; since I couldn't watch or help you with pageant, what did you do for the talent competition? You have so many talents, Kairi. I was wondering which one you picked."

"I, uh..." Kairi twiddled her thumbs and muttered, "I played Modern Warfare."

The brunet dropped his fork, "What?"

"I played Modern Warfare 2." Kairi said with more confidence, "I performed a 1080 degree no-scope headshot. Triple kill, too. I wanted to prove that girls can do something different in those girly girl pageants."

Sora had a fit of laughter, "You pulled a 1080 and you _lost_? That's rigged! That takes skill, Kairi! Wow. Respect. I can barely do a 720. Hayner hasn't even mastered that yet." He offered her a high five before admiring her, "But y'know, the title Ms. Kingdom Hearts would've suited you very nicely."

"Oh please Sora, do you know how cliche that would be? The lead singer of The Oathkeepers dating a beauty queen?"

The two blushed madly at the word _dating._

It grew silent for awhile after that. Happy high Kairi seemed to be dying down. Sora could easily read her expression. Things were about to get serious in about 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

"Sora, could you tell me exactly what happened with Xion?" She asked with uncertainty.

_I knew it._ He sighed while combing a hand through his hair, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I need to know." She hugged her bare arms, "I'm willing to listen."

"Kairi, honestly, that's all I've ever wanted." He grinned, but grew serious when he began to explain, "Xion was right when she admitted her actions at the keyblade competition. She was the one who kissed me at that dance. I was just getting us a drink and she walked up, told me she liked me and kissed me without warning. I was so shocked that I couldn't move. After I pushed her away all I could see was your retreating figure. It hurt so much... I didn't know what to do... I had to get you back and explain so I just ran after you and, well, we both know how it goes from there..."

"I see." Kairi buried her mouth in her clasped hands. She felt terrible. Poor Sora had been trying to prove his innocence and tell her that for almost two years now. Was the one reason she had to deny her love for him been a lie all along? "Sora..."

_Should I tell him?_ Kairi thought, _Am I ready?_

"Yes, Kairi?" He asked softly. Oh, his velvet smooth voice... he was so perfect. There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted to be more than Sora's friend. He wanted to make her happy. She wanted to make him happy. Not just as friends or best friends, but romantically, too. She just couldn't bring herself to say it. Her heart was racing so fast.

Now would've been the perfect moment. They were on a balcony under the stars right above 1000 colourful fountains with classic Disney songs playing in the background. There was a crowd. They were on a date. In fancy clothing. He looked so handsome and dreamy with the colourful lights reflecting off his figure. She, in his eyes, looked like a princess. It was a place set for a long-awaited confession.

But she couldn't do it. She wasn't ready just yet.

"Kairi?" She could barely make out his hand in her face, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," She snapped herself out of her trance, "I'm fine."

"Suuure." He dragged, obviously not convinced. The two enjoyed the summer breeze that passed them, admiring the spectacular view of the island that was provided to them. They could make out every light, building and beach from their position. This restaurant had to be one of_ the_ highest peaks on KHR.

Then something caught both their eyes at the same time.

A ferris wheel. A _very_ bright ferris wheel. It was connected to what could be considered the biggest boardwalk fair of life on the pier. It even had hot air ballons in various colours, shapes, designs and sizes. The amount of colour radiating from it was simply breathtaking. Even its reflection on the water looked fantastic. It looked like so much fun.

"Do you want to go?" Sora offered with a toothy grin, "It's not really part of the date, but I'll take you."

Kairi perked up; she and Sora were always up for stuff like that. "Of course, Sora. I'd love to go with you. Thanks." How could she resist spending more time with him?

"Gr-great!" He could hardly contain his excitement until he noticed their attire, "But we should probably head home quickly and change first."

"You're right." Kairi agreed. After Sora paid the bill (Kairi insisted on paying again but she obviously lost), the two headed for the parking lot towards Roxas' lexus. "Why'd you take your brother's car?"

"Are you kidding me? I wasn't going to drive some random chick home in my motorcycle." Sora clicked the unlock button on the keys, "But if I had known you were going to be my date, then I would've chosen the motorcycle, hands down. I enjoyed the space between us. Or should I say lack of space?" He winked. Kairi's face flushed. Halfway through the car ride Kairi noticed Sora eyeing her free hand around the cupholders in the middle.

She blushed, knowing what he wanted, "Y-you can hold my hand, i-if you want..."

He didn't argue. He merely complied with a thankful grin. At first Kairi was cold due to the AC, but when Sora took her hand in his, she was overcome with warmth. She felt all giddy inside. Dang, she really liked this boy.

"So how badly did you cream the other girls in swimming?" Sora suddenly asked.

"One minute and thirty seconds per lap. Front crawl." Kairi answered with ease.

"In the olympic sized pool?" Sora gaped, "Okay there Michaela Phelps. You even beat _me_! By like... five seconds!" Kairi chuckled lightly. When silence came, he squeezed her hand tighter, "Thanks, Kairi. For winning. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else but you. This is already turning out to be a wonderful date."

"You're welcome." She sent him a gleeful smile. _Maybe it's not too late after all..._

The rest of the car ride was spent in a comfortable silence until the time came for them to let go of each other and change clothes.

"Change into something comfortable, okay?" Sora advised as he watched her run up the stairs, "Don't worry about getting all pretty!"

"I won't!" She yelled. But knowing Kairi, she was probably going to overdress again. This prediction of Sora's was right. While he stuck with the classic hoodie and jeans, Kairi skipped down the steps dressed in what looked like a pink sundress.

"Change. Now." Sora demanded sternly.

She curtsyed while pouting, "You don't like it?"

He sighed, "I like it, but you need to change into something more comfortable. Do you really want to go on rides in a dress?" After letting out an exasperated sigh, Kairi stomped back up the stairs and stomped back down five minutes later wearing a loose but pretty tank, jean short shorts, her hair down and her favourite lavender sneakers tied just the way she liked them. Leave it to Kairi to make simplicity work.

"Happy?" She questioned after a few seconds of obvious gawking.

"Very." Was all Sora said before lacing their hands together. This time round, they used Sora's motorcycle for transportation. When Sora instructed her not to let go just like before, she intended on it this time.

* * *

"U-um... is it a place?"

"No."

"Is it a condom?"

"What the hell, Axel?"

"Hey, it's possible! Um, is it a food?"

"No."

"A molotov?"

"No!"

"Thirty seconds!"

"Gah! Is it fire-related?"

"I'm pretty sure."

Back at south beach, Team Axel was currently playing _Headbands_ (at first they attempted poker but declared that Axel's friend, Luxord, was cheating) using table napkins while eating dinner by the boardwalk. Given the amount of people, they had a _very_ large table to themselves. Axel, paired with Larxene, was currently trying to guess himself.

"Is it a sexual reference?"

Larxene smirked, "Yes." Their table- pardon, table**s**- snickered.

"Fire-related _and_ a sexual reference? It's me, isn't it? It totally is." The audience applauded at the pyro for getting the answer right. In return, he slammed the palm of his hand on the table, "Yeah baby! One point! EAT THAT LOSERS!"

"Our turn!" Hayner announced, placing the table napkin that read the female genitalia in messy permanent marker on his girlfriend's forehead. The guys cracked up. Selphie facepalmed herself. There was no way Olette would guess_ that_ on time. She was too innocent.

"Starting the timer in 3... 2... 1..." The instant Tidus started the timer on his phone, Olette immediately guessed, "Is it Arachibutyrophobia?" Everyone gave her the 'WTF' stare. "What? It's possible!"

Hayner rubbed the back of his head, "Babe, I'm sorry, I don't even know what the hell that is."

"It's the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth." Before any reactions were made, a flash of brown and red hair caught their attention.

They all shushed and froze, including Cloud. A redheaded girl clung onto the arm of a familiar brunet, obviously paying no mind to their surroundings. Otherwise, they would've noticed the paparazzi taking pictures of them out in the open (not to mention their large group of friends gawking). By the looks of it, they were headed towards the boardwalk fair on the pier not too far from their position.

"Is that Sora and Kairi? On a_ date_?" Tidus asked with his jaw agape.

Selphie sipped on her iced tea nonchalantly, "It should be. She won the swimming date thing that Axel set up."

Axel stood up excitedly, "She did? Haha, I knew it! I am a_ genius_! First the booth, now the date! Just call me Mr. Hubba Hubba Love Doctor! In your faces little ones! Who managed to set up the hardest couple of life? I DID! IN YOUR FA-!" After Larxene stuffed a cannoli in her fiance's mouth, the whole group was about to stand up and check if it really was the couple they were expecting but Roxas insisted that they didn't- y'know, just in case they were found. Instead, he went the ninja way and checked his surroundings.

"Yup, it's them all right." Roxas confirmed, "I can see Sora's motorcycle parked in the lot over there."

Everyone was too shocked to say anything. They couldn't even let out a long-awaited "Finally!" because they were so shocked. It was finally going to happen. Sora and Kairi were going to get back together. Boyfriend and girlfriend. No more sexual tension or hair-pulling, aggravating waiting. It was finally going to be over soon enough.

"Bet you 100 munny they'll be making out like crazy by the end of the night." Hayner slammed his munny onto the table.

Axel disagreed and took precautions, "Making out? Are you kidding me? I'm stocking Sora up with some condoms."

Roxas took the bait anyway and slammed his cash down, "You're on."

* * *

"Sora, come on! Stop being such a pansy!"

"Kairi, no."

"Sora!"

"No!"

"Sora, you're the guy!"

"Exactly Kai. I'm a guy. Not Jesus. And only Jesus would survive that... that... that _death trap_!"

"Oh stop being so dramatic!"

"I have every right to be dramatic!" Sora pointed at the so-called _death trap_ with a horrified expression, "It goes off the rails. What kind of roller coaster goes _off the rails_? We're at a _fair_! Aren't there only supposed to be pansy rides? Iri, I'm sorry, you know I love roller coasters, but I'm not ready to die just yet. We still need to get married and have kids-"

She disregarded that last comment and narrowed her eyes, "We're going."

"Nope." Sora stood his ground with his hands behind his head, grinning triumphantly as if he had won, "I'll show you who wears the pants in this relationship!"

It wasn't long before Sora found himself sitting in the front car with an excited Kairi by his side. The things he did for this woman...

x

"Thanks, Sora." She inched herself closer although she already had her arms around his muscular arm, "For going on that ride." Right now, they did everything a couple could possibly do at a fair save kissing. Hidden paparazzi (the number lessened due to The Oathkeeper's loss) took pictures, but they really didn't give a chocobo's a**.

"Are you still on that? I already said it was no problem," For reassurance, he took the new fedora-like straw hat that Kairi was sporting and put it over his own head, "It wasn't even that bad, actually." He took the hat off not long after and put it back on the redhead. They just weren't his thing. It seemed to work for Kairi, though. Then again, everything worked on Kairi in his eyes. She just had more swag than he did.

"But still," Her cheek brushed against his shoulder, "I feel bad for forcing you to go."

"Even if I died on that ride, don't you think it's a little too late to be saying that?" He teased, "I mean, we already went on it."

She rolled her eyes until a certain booth caught her attention. Sora perked up after seeing it, too.

"Loser buys!" Kairi declared after she let go of his arm and ran towards the funnel cakes topped with ice cream. The two strongly believed that it was tradition to eat funnel cakes whenever they were available to them at fairs and amusement parks.

"Wha- cheater!" Sora beat her there, nonetheless. He ended up paying anyway. His offer.

After they finished their dessert, they continued to stroll around the boardwalk fair, hand-in-hand. There was just something about boardwalk fairs that Kairi found romantic and inspiring. With all the lights, the summer breeze, laughing people, heart-pumping music (given that there was a music festival going on in the same area), booths and activities, she just couldn't resist gushing over it.

And in all honesty, Sora made it all the more worthwhile. It felt like their first date in Nautilus, only this time, they were older and on KHR. But the feeling was still there. The feeling of overwhelming happiness and love (whatever _that_ meant... she believed that love was a series of emotions) consumed her.

They continued strolling around together for about an hour, enjoying each other's company, browsing different booths, riding rides (they decided against the ferris wheel due to the cheesiness; besides, they didn't exactly have the best experience the last time they went on one), taking pictures, posing with weird hats and sunglasses and trying to win prizes. Cliche things like that never got old with Sora's refreshing personality.

"I see you still have the I-can't-win-any-prizes curse." Kairi taunted him with her Mickey Mouse plush.

"I'm going to win something, you just watch!" In attemps to prove it, Sora tried tossing a baseball into a wooden basket. If Kairi could do it, then it couldn't be _that_ hard, could it?

It was excrutiatingly hard.

It sounded so simple. Toss the ball into the basket. But the stupid spawn of the devil was angled so that the ball bounced out. Fairs hated him.

"Here," Kairi offered him her plushie, "Hold it so it looks like you won it for me. Y'know, to preserve what's left of your '_manliness_'."

"You know what?" He sneakily snaked an arm around her waist while taking the toy from her, "I'll do just that." They resumed their walk after that. It wasn't until then that Kairi noticed where they were heading.

"Do you want to?" Sora looked up at the scene in awe, "We could." She squeezed his hand tighter. He took it as a yes.

* * *

Approximately ten minutes later the soon-to-be couple found themselves hovering over Kingdom Hearts Resort in a hot air balloon surrounded by lanterns and other balloons that contrasted with the night sky. They had to admit that the fire above them was a little creepy, but other than that, it was, well, gorgeous.

Sora purposely began singing an off-tune version of the same song they heard in Tangled during the lantern scene to ruin the cliche moment. She bursted out laughing before joining him in a dramatic fashion. See, this was exactly why she loved him. He was a neverending vortex of smiles and happiness but was serious when he needed to be.

After the fit of laughter they had after the song, Kairi noticed that Sora was deep in thought and silent for awhile. Huh, that was rare.

"Sora, what are you thinking about?" Kairi rested her elbows on the edge of the basket in such close proximity that their shoulders were touching.

"Oh, just how we only have one week left on this paradise." He answered, resting his head on his right hand supported by his elbow, "We've come a long way in two months. All of us, I mean. Our household. We've had one hell of a summer."

He was right. They went through a lot. Experienced a lot. Got through a lot. Together. Memories were made there that would never fade away. Guess that's why they built Kingdom Hearts Resort on an island called Memory Island.

"Then we've got all of them hooking up simoultaneously." Sora chuckled, taking the bottom of a lantern and pushing it upward to fly higher.

He was right about that, too.

First, Namine and Roxas. Already a couple before the whole ordeal started. Almost broke up because of a mistake (sound familiar?) and got back together. Ever since Nam forgave him, they've been happier than ever. That just showed that their faith and love for each other was extremely healthy. If Kairi's faith was stronger in Sora back then, would they be where Roxas and Namine were? Extremely happy? Probably.

Then there's Riku and Xion. Best friends. Xion fighting for innocence and Riku having faith in her. Getting through many heartbreaks and obstacles together in life. It just goes to show that couples are also best friends that know each other well and are always there for each other. Just like Sora was there everytime she needed him. He also knew her better than anyone else.

And then there's Aqua, Ventus and Terra. Kudos to them for teaching Kairi that everyone deserves a second chance (Ventus to Aqua) and that it's never too late (Terra).

Then randomly, there's Selphie and Irvine. Not much to say about that yet.

Then you've got Axel and Larxene. Friends since birth. Never giving up on each other, no matter what. Now eternally bonded together after officially hooking up when Larxene was found pregnant. Committed for once in their lives. Just as Sora had been committed to loving her since they met. And cheers to Axel for reminding her that if she wanted a dream to come true, she better act and make it come true.

And last but not least, you've got the newest couple. Hayner and Olette. On their way to proving that their love for each other isn't just a summer love. Proving that they would do whatever it takes to make things work between them. Also proving that love requires a risk worth taking. Kairi would risk Sora cheating on her again if they started dating, but she knew that he wouldn't do that. He loved her too much. And even if there was that risk, it was worth taking it. Why?

Because Sora was one hell of a guy. And he was worth it. He was always worth it.

So with this in mind, Kairi knew the time had come. Her mind was set. It was their turn. Was she ready? Hell yes. Hot air balloon, boardwalk fair on the pier, lanterns, night sky, music in the background... it was perfect. _He_ was perfect. And he could be hers within seconds. All she had to do was say a few simple words, and she would feel what she felt today everyday. Luckily for her, it was that easy. She was so, so lucky...

"Sora-" She was immediately cut off by the sound of an explosion booming in her ears. Her first reaction was _HOLY SHIT TERRORIST ATTACK! ! ! _but stopped when she realized that it was just a firework that blew up nearby. Like. _Really_ nearby.

"Oh my _gosh_!" She said a few milliseconds after, slamming herself against Sora's muscular chest. Her fast-beating heart hammered against his chest. He chuckled. She was so scared. Then they heard some guy apologize with a bullhorn down below. It wasn't long before more fireworks filled the sky. They weren't as close this time, but they were just as beautiful. The people on the other balloons seemed to be appreciating it.

Kairi was still scared, though. She held onto her future boyfriend for dear life, shaking in fear. She loved how they fit together perfectly. He was the perfect cuddle size for her. It was like he was made to protect her.

"It's okay Kairi," He stroke her hair affectionately, "I'm here. You're safe. You don't have to be scared."

Scared. The very reason she didn't take him back in an instant. She was too scared that he'd hurt her again when really, it hurt more to be away from him.

She didn't say anything until they were let down from the balloon. She remained traumatized until they were let down. She couldn't believe that stupid firework. For once, she despised fireworks. Fireworks were what prevented her long-awaited confession.

"I think we've had enough fun for one night." Sora threw an arm over her shoulders and exited the fair, "Let's go home."

_No._ Kairi's heart raced even quicker. The night couldn't end. Not yet. She still had to tell him.

"Kairi? You look pale," Sora shrugged himself out of his hoodie and put it on her, "Here." Obviously it was too big for her, but he thought it was cute. Now he was left only in his v-neck shirt, jeans and, if you guess this right, you'll win 100, 000 munny!

Just kidding. But if you guessed converse, you're right.

"You're a lifeguard?" She asked, reading the print on the hoodie.

"Uh, yeah. Part-time job in Palumpolum." Then he waved his fingers around and sang in a deep voice, "The more you know~!"

"Huh." She chuckled then shook her head. She was getting off topic. She had a confession to make. And it was now. She was ready, unlike their dinner date. She wasn't scared, unlike the hot air balloon incident. The time should be now.

But when she thought this, she noticed where they were. Already away from the fair. Away from the lights. Away from the romantic scenery.

Instead they were stuck on south beach in the dark. No one was exploring the boutiques and shops on the boardwalk anymore. It was completely deserted. No one was around to witness anything. Moonlight and glitching lightposts (and the fair pretty far behind them) were the only sources of light. The lanterns and hot air balloons were already being let down. The fireworks were dying down. The beach water appeared as if it were black but cleared when the waves crashed on the shore. She was in his shlummy hoodie. They both probably had that outdoor smell to them. They looked beat.

It wasn't exactly the fantasy she expected, but she figured that it would suffice. It was almost like the first time they kissed. Almost. It lacked the Destiny Islands feel.

Kairi checked the time. It was almost midnight.

"Kairi, come on." Sora gestured his hand towards the parking lot a few meters away from them. It couldn't end this way. Where would they be if she didn't confess now? Friends again? Dealing? Confused? Hurting him again? No. Not again. She wasn't going to let this final chance slip.

He already started walking ahead of her, but before he could get any further from her, she grabbed his wrist forcefully.

It was then that Kairi had a sudden realization.

It didn't matter where Kairi confessed. As long as she professed her love for him, that was all that mattered. They didn't need anything fancy to make it special. As cheesy as it sounded, all they needed was each other. So, without wasting any more time, she did it. And just to smite her, she could faintly hear _Hikari_ playing in the background from the speakers at the fair.

"Sora, I'm ready." She said incoherently, digging her toes into the sand.

He looked perplexed, "What?"

"I'm ready." She repeated with more confidence, but decided to go into more detail, "Sora, I'm sorry I made you wait so long. I'm sorry that it took me so long to put the past behind us. It's been holding me back for far too long. Even if our dark past exists, it's not as important as our bright future. Forgive me."

"Kairi-" She shushed his lips with her finger, "I'm not done. Sora, all this time, you've always made me feel like your number one. You've always been there for me even when it hurt you so bad. You're perfect. You've always been so worthy of my love. When I saw you at that kissing booth earlier, I-I... I couldn't bare to look. When I found out you were about to go on a date with a total stranger tonight, I was furious. I couldn't let that happen._ I_ wanted to be the only one you had feelings for. _I_ wanted to be the one that you'd go out on a date with. _I_ wanted to be the one you kissed under the stars tonight."

Seeing that she was on the verge of tears, Sora pulled her to him. Their hearts were beating as one at the same quick pace. Sora was wide-eyed; was this really happening?

"I love you Sora Hikari," She sobbed into his chest and blubbered, "I always have. This whole time, it was you. I was just too stupid and in denial to believe it. I've always loved you from the start. The instant I smacked you in the face with that door, I really should've kissed you instead of giving you the cold shoulder. It would've saved a lot of trouble. I'm so sorry I made you wait... I'm so sorry!"

"B-but I'm ready now." With a sure look on her face, she slightly pulled away from him to look him in the eyes, "Sora, I... without a doubt, am ready to be your girlfriend again. I want you back. I... I still love you! I always will! I..." _Here we go_, "I want to be your girlfriend again!" The silence that grew between them was far too large for Kairi's liking. She had a bad feeling about this.

But when he smiled warmly, all those bad feelings washed away.

"Kairi," He said softly, wiping away her tears, "You have no idea how much I've wanted you to say that."

He leaned forward and suddenly, they were defying gravity. Even without the romantic scenery it was still incredibly meaningful and, even as the years went by, overwhelming. With their hearts both in it, they deepened their passionate kiss. Fearing that it was just a dream, both didn't pull away until many minutes later to catch their breath.

"This is real, isn't it?" Kairi asked breathlessly.

As Sora placed his arms around her neck, she placed her hands over his biceps, "Only if you want it to be." She answered him with another euphoric kiss. God, she was so soft... "Mm, you know..." He savoured the taste of her lips by licking his own, "I kissed over a hundred girls today..." He could tell she was startled by this statement but kept going, "But I have to say, yours meant the most. And it will always mean the most. That kiss was most definetely worth the wait. Thank you, Kairi. I love you so much. Always have, always will."

"I love you, too." Came the response she should've given him a long time ago.

After basking in each other's presence for a bit longer, Sora decided that it was time to head home when Roxas texted him. They boarded his motorcycle, feeling closer than ever before. Knowing that Kairi, his _girlfriend_, was the one clinging onto him from behind made him feel all giddy. They were officially a couple again. He mentally thanked Hope for forcing him to go on the vacation. It wasn't that bad after all.

The trip home didn't take too long. Before the two entered the house they shared another blissful kiss on the porch. Kairi, too dazed to think about her actions, then unlocked the door and shut it behind her afterward. She sighed in delight and squealed like the teenage girl she was. She was so accustomed to this routine when she and Sora had dates back on Destiny Islands.

But this wasn't Destiny Islands.

_Knock knock._

"Yes?" Kairi answered dreamily.

"Kairi, it's Sora." Came the muffled reply from the other side, "I don't know if you can remember, but I kinda live there too."

Her purple eyes widened in realization as she frantically opened the door, "I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay." Sora gave her hair a shake and chuckled before pulling her to him. He sighed into her strawberry-scented hair, "Mm. This feels really nice."

She pulled away from him with a devious smirk, "You know what would feel even better?" The way she said it made him tremble. He didn't know which way to take that. Luckily she didn't give him time to answer. She just took him by the collar and led them to his room.

* * *

Sora woke up alone the next morning.

His hands roamed his bed with his eyes still closed and yet, all he could feel were the sheets, the blanket, the warm sun against his skin and the pillows. Huh, that was odd. He distinctly remembered falling asleep next to a really pretty redhead last night. He found it odd that she wasn't there. She sure looked like she was enjoying herself last night.

_That... came out wrong._ Sora thought with a chuckle. He lay with his face stuffed in a pillow, going over the events of last night.

Well, for one, he and Kairi went out to dinner. Then they went to the fair. They had one hell of a time. Then she told him that she wanted to be his girlfriend again. Holy shiz. _Kairi_ was his _girlfriend_ again. His heart raced when he remembered the kiss. Then they drove home. She dragged him up to his room. They had an extremely hot makeout session for Maker knows how long. Nothing drastic, but Sora's shirt seemed to have magically disappeared. Then they fell asleep. Then he woke up alone.

Bothered by this fact, Sora sat up and stretched, quickly followed by a yawn. He lazily walked over to the bathroom that he shared with Roxas to proceed with his morning routine. He splashed his face with water and brushed his teeth. He then noticed the magical appearance of a pink toothbrush right next to Roxas' and his. Sora grinned madly; he had a feeling that Kairi would be waking up in his room a whole lot from now on. Now, if only she was there when he woke up...

He re-entered his room and threw on a shirt from his drawers. After making his bed, he finally noticed the presence of a certain redhead leaning against the rails of his balcony outside (it had a perfect view of the backyard, mind you). She was wearing an oversized shirt (no doubt one of his) that nearly covered her shorts and had the most adorable bedhead he had ever seen. Excitedly but quietly, he snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

He felt her jump from the surprise but giggled when she rested into him, "Good morning, Sora."

He kissed her cheek in response, "Morning." He then began trailing his finger along her right arm and pressed his lips against her ear, "Mm, you know, I woke up alone this morning... care to explain that?"

She shuddered lightly from his touch, "I-I... I needed to think."

"What about?" He whispered. Was there something bothering his dear _girlfriend_? Wow. He was never going to get tired of that.

She unexpectedly turned herself around to face him and removed his hands from her waist. Instead, she intertwined them both in hers, "We can make this work, right?" Ah, already the relationship problems were kicking in. Well, he never did expect perfection.

"What do you mean?" His brows raised as he squeezed her hands.

"Can we make this relationship work, Sora? Don't get me wrong, yesterday was amazing, but..." She was beginning to look off to the side, "We only have a week left together. One week from now, I'll be on Destiny Islands. You'll be in Palumpolum. Can we maintain a long distance relationship? I know Olette and Hayner have the same 'make it work' problem, but they live in the same city..."

"Kairi," He cupped her face with his hands, "Do you really think I'll let something _small_ such as _distance_ get in the way of this?" By 'this' he gestured towards their hands, "Of course we can make this work, Kairi. We can text. Call. Videochat. I'll even visit you as often as I can. You can trust me."

She smiled and admired his eyes. Those eyes alone were enough to convince her that they could make things work. They belonged to Sora, after all. His eyes were powerful stuff. They were the same eyes she stared into when he broke his leg on the Leadenstrike race and reassured her that he loved her more than anything else and would do anything for her, the same eyes that locked with hers when he died and came back to life in the Hunger Games that convinced her that everything was going to be okay, the same eyes that were the windows to his wonderful soul; if his _eyes_ could do all those things, then he himself could surely help her make things work in their relationship.

"Yeah. I can trust you."

"I promise I'll do what it takes," He reassured, "You don't have to worry about a thing. I'll take care of you."

"Thank you, Sora." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Anything for you, Kairi." He said before leaning in to share their first liplock of the morning. It proved to the both of them that the glorious events of last night really did happen. Their kiss (more like makeout session) was getting pretty heated until someone disrupted them from below.

"Yeah you two!" Axel waved his shirt around from the patio below and wolf-whistled, "Get dirty!"

Sora rolled his eyes and pressed their foreheads together, "We should get ready for the day."

"Are you kidding me?" Asked a bewildered Kairi, "We're going to kiss some more."

"B-but-"

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled his head down to level with her smirking face, "Do you have a problem with that?"

"O-of course not! I totally want to!" _I really REALLY want to_, "It's just... I thought you hated relationships that were based on physical activities..."

"I do. But we're about to be seperated for a year, Sora. I'm kissing you whenever I get the chance!" And with that, she dragged him back into his room and shut the door behind them. Oh, how he loved this woman.

x

**Email: sora_the_sexii_beast [at] hotmail . com**

**Password: *********

**Sora Hikari** went from being _'single'_ to _'in a relationship'_ with **Kairi Lovelock.**  
Just now. **Avielle Namine Emori, Tidus Clearwater, Hope Estheim** and **25 others like this**.

**2 comments**

**Roxas Hikari-Aethon (a few seconds ago):** You two really need to tone down your makeout sessions. Nami and I could hear you through the walls last night! People are trying to sleep, y'know! **6 likes.**

**Hayner Arundel (a few seconds ago):** HA. You owe me 100 munny. Just saying.

**In the next chapter:**

_"Septuple date!"_

_"Don't you find it odd that in the two months we've been on this island, we've never gone ot the water park?"_

* * *

**I love how in the midst of making out Sora has time to change his relationship status on facebook LOL. ****The ending was just a little extra there. And to those of you freaking out, THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. I just haven't sorted out the ideas for the next chapter, that's why there's a lack of lines in the next chapter preview. And are you kidding me? Sora and Kairi just hooked up. This is where the fun begins, man. We haven't even seen the SoKai past yet! But sadly, this will be ending soon :( On a lighter note, I bet you're all going "FINALLY!" from the content in this chapter. Finally, after 29 chapters and 1010 reviews (I'm still not over that), they hooked up! No twists. They're actually together, guys!**

**And the reason I updated so early was because I got excited for this chapter, I barely had anything to do (given that school has started for my cousins and friends here) and I WANTED TO UPDATE BEFORE HURRICANE IRENE HITS THIS STATE. No worries guys. It's dying down to level 2. I can take it! ... I think. Well if I do, then I'll be tank. I survived an earthquake AND a hurricane. HA. I just think the power's gonna go out, that's all. And if you've been a victim to the crazy storm, I hope you're all right !**

**Oh, by the way, here are some of the songs I used for inspiration and the fair. I for one think that it's pretty different from anything else in the Teenage Wasteland Soundtrack.**

**Fair/ inspiration songs: **_Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)- Katy Perry, Eyes- Kaskade ft. Mindy Gledhill (I played this one like ten times), Better Off Alone (Trance Remix)- Alice Deejay, We Can Try- Between The Trees (this one many times before, too. It was mostly used for inspiration), Hikari- Utada Hikaru (although I prefer the orchestral version for this chapter)_

**I'll admit that I was a little pressured writing this. It was hard to make the chapter everyone was waiting for perfect. To be honest, I don't even think it's perfect right now. But nothing truly is perfect, is it? Yeah, when in doubt, go with deep sayings :)! But I'll admit that this chapter was pretty short haha.**

**It was based on a lot of real life experiences, too. Michaela Phelps? My friend called me that a few weeks ago after I _merked_ him and some friends in a friendly swimming race. The sexual reference thing with Axel? Happened on my birthday. The firework explosion? Well, it happened, but instead it was with lightning (I assure you that my cousin and I had the same reaction as Kairi though xD). The baseball in the basket thing? That happened too, but unlike Sora, I won a domo wahaha :) Anyway you guys are probably really bored reading this so I'm going to reply to the 50+ people that already reviewed for the last chapter :D Seriously guys, thats REALLY FAST :O**

**inspirexx: Aww thank you :) And don't worry about the lateness. The fact that you reviewed is enough for me!**

**The Result of Squiffie: Err, I don't think I can send pictures through PM. It's on facebook, actually. Maybe I could put it up on a website or something? I'm actually thinking of making a website and I'll definetely put in my Otakon album in there, but if I don't, I guess we'll have to find another way for you to see that picture :P**

**paopu-fruit-to-go: Vietnamese and chinese? Just like one of my good friends :D And yeah, I wanted Axel's character to be just as determined as he was in the game. Some stories these days just portray him as the flirtatious guy. Don't get me wrong, he's totally flirtatious in this story, but he needed some love :P And LOL well, the hurricane is about to reach us, but my uncle assured me that we're 60 miles from the eye. We'll just suffer through a possible power outage and a storm, no worries :)**

**Dusk-Sky: First of all, thank you for reading my cousin's story! She REALLY appreciates it! I appreciate it, too. Thanks :D And yeah, Selphie is pretty deep. I wanted to portray her as someone who knows what she's talking about, not just the shopaholic girly girl :)**

**asb227: First off thanks for re-reading :) And yeah I noticed that awhile ago, too. I'm actually going through all the chapters one by one and fixing things here and there, not just spelling mistakes. That was one of the things I was about to fix. Thank you, though :)**

**XxHarukoChanxX: Ooh, Riku keychain. I don't blame you. I'd stare at that all day LOL. Depends. Is he wearing the cloak and the blindfold? *drools* And sorry, but I got a little confused when you were talking about fb there. Care to explain a bit more? XP**

**ChuckleBunny: You know, before I even reply, I must say thank you to you. I've seen your username reviewing to my stories ever since Masquerade. So thank you SO SO much. And thank you for the nice review, too!**

**AKAAkira: Thanks for the congrats :) And to be honest, I rarely get bored. I honestly can't stand being bored so I occupy myself somehow. I also think it's because I'm on vacation. Almost never a dull moment when I'm with my cousin and her crazy friends :D And you live in Canada? I'm not sure if you know this but I live there too :D**

**Half-Dragon Hero: Lol, at one point I was thinking about Larxene saying no but then I would've needed to come up with something even MORE epic when she would choose to say yes. And it would've been interesting to see how Axel's household helped out, but tbh, I'm not very good when it comes to Organization members :P**

**Anon Cuz I'm Cool: LMAO same here. I thought it was the washing machine until I'm like "Wait. Wtf. Washing machines aren't this strong."**

**California Sandwich: Omg. Thank you for being my 1000th reviewer. THANK YOU :D ! Now, to your review. Don't tell anyone (I highly doubt any other users will be reading this reply anyway xP) but yes, I will be writing up Axel's wedding later on. Shit will go down. Trust me. Good sh** :D And you're one of many who loved that flashbang line xD And yes, not everything could've been sunshine and flowers with everyone. I needed to show that not all relationships are perfect, but are manageable :) **

**No name again?: ANOTHER NO NAME D: But since you call yourself Destiny, I'll address you as such :D And really? You can pound anyone in Super Smash Bros? You can probably pound me but I'm not sure about my asian friends lol. And how did I come up with the Teenage Wasteland idea? I actually don't know. Well, I kinda do. One of the reasons I made it was because I wanted to do something different from the usual high school story. I thought of a place that would be fun, non-highschoolish and filled with teenagers and eventually came up with KHR :D**

**NinjaKicker5000: Aww, it rained when you went to King's Dominion? That sucks! But out of curiosity, what was your favourite ride? I personally liked that one volcano ride. I don't remember what it was called, but it was fast as hell and actually scared me! It was AMAZING. And thank you :3**

**CherryCola12: This is definetely NOT the last chapter. This is where the fun begins man :D And you're right, no one does use Selphie as a main part. I don't think I could pull it off, either. She's too... 'out there' I guess? **

**bluestarlover: Thanks and you're welcome :D**

**ChocoIsu: Out of curiosity what happy song were you listening to when you read the rejection lol? And I totally get what you mean about thefacebook statuses. At first it wa my friends from America freaking out, then my friends from Canada start freaking out like 10 minutes later xD And LOL, personally I find Kirby a bit cheap, but seeing that I use Pit I can't really say that since he's the cheapest one in the whole game LOOLOL. **

**CupcakeLerman: LOLOLLOL did you purposely review thrice to help me reach 1k? If you did, thanks lol. And no, this isn't one of those Axel and Larxene are gonna get married and tell their kid about their crazy adventures on the island and whatnot lol. And sorry that I virtually got you sick D: and LMAO at the flip accent. I love doing that in public. *returns high five for earth quake survival***

**LittleKeybladeNinja: My cousin told me that you alerted her story, so thanks for checking it out :D and you didn't feel the earthquake? Holy moly it was RREEEAALLLYY shaky *dizzy face* **

**True Happiness: lol ty :)**

**aquarose band leader: thanks, but please don't die haha.**

**Noobster: Omg, no need to bow, but thanks :D **

**Jared Someone: Well if it isn't Mr. Jared Van Esch. Getting caught by security I see? Typical Jared HAHAHA. Better run aussie bro. I use the apple store for random reasons too :P And you know what? I would go on msn if SOMEONE got on too! *frowny face***

**J3NNAF5AUR: Aww thanks, and I'm sorry your friends looked at you like you were on drugs! It's ok. That happened to me not too long ago with my cousin xD We were just messing around on the seesaw and some kid asked our friend if we were high. Then he just points at his dong and says "THIS IS THE THING THAT RULES THEM ALL" and walked away. He was like. 8. LOL. AND YAY ANOTHER FLIP :D Can you speak tagalog?**

**No name: OKAY YOU GUYS STOP WITH THE NO NAMES D: But anyway, thanks for the review and I hope you're alright from the earthquake!**

**Sookdeo: First of all, thanks for your reviews on Masquerade :D Now, LOL aww did she actually think they were robbers? Awe x3 And I will enjoy my summer while it lasts. When I go back to school, it's supposedly the hell year. *shudders* I hate being a junior already. **

**Mokimoki-chan: It means alot that pure joy engulfed you while reading my stories :) Thanks!**

**Riptide217: You thought I disappeared? Lol sorry! And you're canasian? YESSSHHH! *highfive* I hope this isn't too stalkerish, but which province do you live in? AND you're filipino. OH HELL YEAH. And omg. Do you really need to ask the ensaymada question? I grew up with that shit xD.**

**Craxuan: I personally thought Larxene agreed pretty fast, too, (in fact I was about to make her say no ahaha) but then again, I didn't want it to be one of those "JUST SAY YES ALREADY!" moments like Sora and Kairi. Same with Olette, too. **

**DestinyKeyblader28: Thanks :)**

**Phenomenon45: Haha. Like a boss. Love that saying. And thank you for replying even if your... thumb... hurt? And thanks about the epic word compliment :D And during the earthquake, I was ABOUT to yell my ass off, then it stopped haha. My friend apparently slammed himself against the wall, felt it up and was like "EARTHQUAAKKKEE! AHHHH~~~!" with his little sister beside him xD. And I'd love to meet you, too. Granted that you do NOT make fun of my height. I hate it when people do that :(**

**2bblue101: Judging by that pandisal comment, I'm guessing that you're Filipino, yes? :D **

**Autumn's Sorrow Winter's Pain: Lol yeah, she totally pounded her to the ground.**

**Q-A The Authoress: I would've taken my time but I got so excited :D I hope you liked it anyway?**

**the ultimate kh fan: Omg lack of oxygen D: I'm so sorry! I should add more, er, oxygen in my stories? Sorry I don't know what I'm saying right now haha. And originally Namine was supposed to join the pageant too (I figured she'd be too scared) so I changed it to dear Roxie. I guess she doesn't have an issue with her boyfriend corssdressing :P**

**GreyPurpleBlack: Omg Bleach. I remember when I used to watch that. RENJI, MAN. OH MAN RENJI. FTFW. And I'm touched that you're pumped about the 1000 reviews :'D And omg, trust, you cannot imagine the amount of people freaking about the earthquake on my fb page -_-''**

**DeadxColor: I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT SKITTLES *jumps up and down* I knew it! Lol sorry. And you're half Thai? :D I love your Pad Thai man. I'm like in love with it! And you work at Starbucks? Your white chocolate mocha WITH whipped cream is hella good :D **

**EternallySky: Lol don't worry I don't consider it stalkerish that you looked through my photos. It's facebook, that's why they're there xD And thank you! I'm really glad you thought my cosplay was good :D I thought it was a little plain haha. My cousin says thank you, too :) And where did I buy it? I bought it off this website called milanoo. It's for a really good price! As for the shoes, I got lucky with those. I was just about to wear my bboy shoes until I happened to see those shoes at the mall. They were only ten bucks so I was like wth, let's goo! And my favourite in Brawl? Pit, man. Pit. It's all about Pit. I know, I use the cheap little angel boy :D And since I live in Canada, school doesn't start until next Tuesday for me :D**

**beckster411: Yeah I'm fine, the earthquake didn't hurt me! I'm not sure about the hurricane though. It might disconnect my internet or get rid of the power. No KH for me T-T ! **

**KtheHABIT: That means alot, thanks :3 **

**Sakura088: That was scary stuff, man. I thought it was the washing machine. And I'm not that much of a Venaqua fan either as you can see :P **

**Grumpy: Are you okay? D:**

**Redeeming Endeavor: Long reply time! First off, chicken adobo and rice? You would man. You would. Funny you say that cause my aunt just taught me how to make it yesterday :D And the fact that you brought a rice cooker to college isn't weird. Heck, when I go off to college in two years, I'm lugging in my rice cooker AND karaoke machine. Btw I LOL'd at your pandisal comment. And ensaymada? I grew up with that sh** (in a good way)! And yeah, thanks for checking if we're all right! And I totally get what you mean about the pestering if you're okay until someone snaps. Ah, Filipinos! And yeah I think it was Brawl Minus. Plus, I'm not that awesome, I just consider myself a tank for doing all that *smirks epicly* And no tagalog? That's fine. You're like my cousins. I take it that when your relatives asks you to speak to them in tagalog you have some american accent behind it? My cousin does that. Cute sya, haha, until I accidentally whacked him in the face with a golf club last week o.o I swear I'm not a child abuser! ANYWAY, before you get creeped out, I should answer your question and say yes, I do speak and understand tagalog pretty well. I was born there but moved to Canada when I was five. But since you claim you know a little, I'm guessing you follow the "Kuya" and "Ate" and "Tito/ Tita" rules? I do. You're older than me right, so I should pay respect to you, Kuya (unless you feel weird when people call you that- I feel weird when people call me ate)! But I will not bow down to you in Soul Calibur. Bring it. I'll admit I didn't believe Talim was Filipino at first until I saw her command list attacks. It was all sipa and some nex filipino words and I'm like OHSNAP. OHSNAP. For once there's a flip in the game! Well yeah, sorry for the super long reply! Salamat for the review and advice as usual!**

**AsoenixKristian: Thank you very much :)**

**TalesofStuff: Well when I hear "cheap" and "wii" Super Smash does come to mind xD Especially Pit. Oh, my favourite little Angel Boy. And no, I wasn't just talking about Pit's cheap spinny move. Everything about Pit is cheap LOL. The arrows, the flying... that's why I love him xD**

**DragoNik: LOL yeah. A date after 29 agonizing chapters!**

**Allers3: Well the flashbang thing was pretty funny x) And omg, you live in Ontario too? Me too :D **

**Well guys, that's about it. I better go before the power goes out. I hope you guys liked the hook up chapter :) I'll update the next one as soon as I can! There's more adventures yet to come! So thanks for all the reviews guys, keep'em coming if you'd like, sorry for any grammar errors, thank you for the support and you're all SO AWESOME!**

**xoKyorii**


	31. Enter Memoria: The Curse

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** . ©

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**Author's Note (08/27/11, 10:42PM):** Is it wrong that I'm writing this while a hurricane is passing by outside? Lol.

**(08/30/11, 2:14PM):** I just noticed something terrible. I missed a page of reviews in my last reply session. I AM SO SORRY TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT I DIDNT REPLY TO D: !

**(11/14/11, 6:09PM):** HEY HUNGER GAMES FANS, THE NEW TRAILER CAME OUT TODAY! The instant I found out it was coming out, I watched it like ten minutes after its first release in the US *crazed fan* I personally think it could've been much better, but that's just me . Oh, and I recently wrote a RokuNami two-shot and changed the poll on my profile page so please check those out if you have the time :)

* * *

**. Chapter XXXI .**

_**. Enter Memoria: The Curse .**_

**Line of The Chapter:**  
_"Legend says that if one touches or, dare I say it, humps the cursed tree, it will bring misfortune to said individual and his or her housemates."_

**Sora & Kairi: For Now or For Real?**

**Written By:** Shiki Misaki

SOUTH BEACH- On August 18th, approximately 8:00pm, teenagers supposedly caught lead singer Sora Hikari of _The Oathkeepers_ and Cloud Strife's ex-girlfriend, Kairi Lovelock, together on a real date. First at the formal _1000 Fountains_ restaurant, then the boardwalk fair. Teens claimed to have witnessed a confession around midnight as well! Ladies and gentlemen, is this the moment we've all been waiting for? Has the dramatic soap opera finally reached its end? Is the Team Sora vs. Team Cloud debate finally over? After all the confusions, heartbreaks, fake dates and misunderstandings, did Sora Hikari, the devilishly talented and drop dead gorgeous lead singer, finally get the love of his life back?

But the million dollar question is this: Is KHR's most wanted couple for now... or for real this time?

Many rumors have been spread around the island, but we received the truth from none other than Roxas Hikari-Aethon (Hikari's younger twin brother and The Oathkeepers lead guitarist), Selphie Tilmitt (Lovelock's best friend) and Aqua Elendil (interviewer and editor for household Hikari) not long after the two confirmed their relationship yesterday. After Hikari supposedly changed his relationship status on facebook to _in a relationship with Kairi Lovelock_, Elendil posted a video interview of the two admitting their official relationship status on the island's official website...

_For the detailed contents of the interview, turn to page C4 or visit the island's official website..._

* * *

**http : / / www . kingdomheartsresort . com/teenagewasteland/hikari/videos/sora-kairi-officially-back-together**

So... is it true?

"Is what true?" Sora asked dumbly. He obviously knew the answer, but since he was Sora, he liked to tease his audience.

"Is it true that they've been macking all night? Hell yeah it's true!" Came Roxas' annoyed voice in the background. The couple turned red in embarassment with Kairi snuggling closer to her boyfriend.

Forget what he said. Let me try that again; we have try and to keep this strictly professional for the press. So, it's official now, isn't it? The moment we've all been waiting for has finally come to us?

**"**Yes ma'am it very well has. Kairi is my girlfriend." He announced proudly whilst pulling the move discreetly on said girlfriend.

Kairi also confirmed with a nod, "Sora is the boyfriend."

You two do know that your relationship will be the talk of the island right? It can be both a curse and a blessing.

Sora scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, we kinda saw that coming..."

"But it doesn't matter. As long as we have each other we'll be just fine." Kairi raised both her thumbs up, "Haters gon' hate. He's all mine."

"My own. My precious~." Sora mocked in the Smeagol/ Gollum voice.

Hm, cute. Now tell me, what made yesterday's date different from all the others you supposedly had on the island? Why did this one in particular cause you to get together after two months?

"Well, unlike the others, _I_ confessed my feelings this time." Informed the redhead.

And what exactly were those feelings, Kairi?

Confidently, she answered, "The ones I had from the start. This is gonna sound cheesy, but I guess I was too caught up in the past to admit the fact that I've had feelings for Sora all this time, hehe... I specifically told him that I wanted to be his girlfriend again that night at South Beach and then... well..."

Then? I'm sure we all know what's coming next. We just finally want to hear it from you guys!

"We, uh..." Kairi's confidence was immediately replaced with a nervous red face.

Sora took over, "I obviously gave in after all the begging and begging-"

"_Sora_."

"Just kidding. I willingly agreed and we became what we are today; the happiest couple alive (well in my opinion anyways; Roxas tells me otherwise). The girl I'm in love with finally became mine again. Sorry ladies, but Sora Hikari is once again a happily taken man!" To emphasize his joy, Sora threw both his arms in the air, waved them around and yelled primitively.

"It was all just so joyful and amazing." Said Kairi with a loving sigh.

"As was last night." Sora winked suggestively. It was swiftly followed by a smack to the head from his darling girlfriend.

Aqua: So after two years of dying to get together again, its finally happened. May I ask **how** it happened? Full details, please! The island wouldn't want to know anything less!

Sora scratched the back of his head, "Well, we don't want to go into too much detail (it's quite personal), but it started when..."

**ll Pause **

**Fast Forward**

So how does this compare to the first time you two got together?

"Oh, I know what this is." Sora pointed a finger at the camera accusingly, "This is one of those cheesy flashback moments. This is the part when we drift off and tell you the story of our past, isn't it?"

Well it would be much appreciated-

"Sorry Aqua." Sora threw both his hands behind his head and grinned evilly at the camera, "But that story's gonna have to wait. It's just not dramatic enough, you know? Not the right atmosphere. When the time comes, that moment will be revealed. 'Til then, you'll just have to stay tuned! Sora Hikari and his _girlfriend_ Kairi Lovelock, out!"

Hey, I'm supposed to do the signing ou-

"TEAM AKUROKU FOREVER!" Came Axel's voice from the background.

Kairi placed a hand over the lens and giggled, "See ya next time!"

So much for keeping things strictly professional...

_*switch off*_

**Destiny Islands**

"Almasy! Back to your cell!"

"Yeah, yeah," Came the raspy, intimidating reply. Before he logged off the computer, he smirked at the image onscreen, "Finally got your happy ever after, huh? Well, hmhm, not for long."

* * *

**Kingdom Hearts Resort, Hikari Household**

A very satisfied Sora lay shirtless in his bed with his girlfriend lying on top of him, twirling a various spike in his hair around her index finger. She too discarded some articles of clothing, but she managed to keep her unergarments and shorts on. She recently threw on one of her boyfriend's shirts so technically, she was well clothed. In all honesty Sora had no idea why she did that. It would be coming off again in a few minutes.

"Kairi?" He whispered, mimicking her actions with her own hair.

"Yes?" She asked, still amused with the spike. She looked so cute. So, so cute. And she was his. All his.

He sighed in delight, "You're really pretty."

She smiled sweetly before kissing him quickly on the lips; this knocked the wind right out of him. "Thank you, Sora. You're quite sexy yourself." To tease him, she slowly began tracing his abs. He restrained himself from reacting inappropriately.

Just to smite him, she pressed her chest closer to his, "You are _so_ turned on right now, aren't you?"

"You're so mean." He whimpered.

"But you love me." She insisted, leaning down to kiss him once more. Sora intended on deepening it until Kairi pulled away and noticed something... _interesting_ under his alarm clock. She rolled off of him and took the item in her hands, examining it. When she was finished, she turned to him and waved the item in his face with a suspicious look on her face, "Sora, what is this?"

His eyes widened.

What the _hell_ was a pack of _condoms_ doing in his room?

"That's not mine, I swear!" He yelled defensively. Kairi kept looking at him with her disapproving yet embarassed stare. "Kairi, you have to believe me!" He frantically threw the covers off of them and searched his nightstand for proof. He had never felt more embarrassed in his life.

He finally spotted a sticky note right by the lamp and flaunted it in Kairi's face. "See! You see!"

**Have fun you two ;D - Axel**

As if the note didn't exist, she continued to look at him as if he had two heads, "Well I understand, I mean, you _are_ an eighteen-year-old boy, you do have your, er... '_needs_'..."

"Kairi!" He threw his arms up and whined, "You know I'm not like that! I, uh, we... not that I'd mind, but- gah! No! That came out wrong! I'm not trying to take advantage of you, I swear! I wouldn't do that to you! I-I love you and I'd wait forever and, uh, I... _Kairi_!"

After torturing him a bit more, Kairi began to laugh. Sora pouted and turned away, "You're mean, Kairi."

"Aww, Sora!" She pinched his cheek and shook the flesh in between her thumb and index finger, "You're adorable! I know you wouldn't do that to me. It was just so amusing to watch you all embarassed and whatnot! Haha!"

"Kairi..." He mumbled, his face going red as a tomato as he plopped his head back down on his pillow.

"Oh, I'm sorry Sora." She threw the pack aside and raked one of her hands through his hair.

"It's okay. I still love you." As a sign of forgiveness, he kissed her cheek, then trailed down to her lips, then her jaw, then her neck... it wasn't long before both their shirts came off for the second time that morning.

"Hey Sora- _whoa_!" Came a startled voice from the doorway.

The two immediately stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the shocked Roxas and Axel at the door. Sora immediately shielded Kairi as she squeaked and threw a shirt on.

"On the bottom? Really, Sora? Be a man! Get on that!" Axel smacked his butt with a wink.

Roxas, on the other hand, shielded his eyes but peeked through one of his fingers, "You guys are _still_ at it? After two days? It's already one in the afternoon! How long have you two been making out?"

Sora checked his alarm clock and shrugged, "Dunno. Maybe two hours or so?" Roxas shuddered until he noticed the pack of condoms on the floor. Sora immediately read his mind using twin telepathy, "This isn't what it looks like."

His twin brother laughed awkwardly and backed up, "Ahaha, okay Sora, okay."

"I see you two got my present." Axel winked.

"We didn't use it if that's what your implying." Sora sneered, "And we never will."

"Okay, whatever! Can you two just... get ready and go downstairs?" Begged Roxas who still refused to make eye contact with the couple, "We're all waiting for you. We're going somewhere today. Now go. Let's get out of here, Axel." When the door shut, they could faintly hear Roxas complaining about his 'virgin eyes' in the hallway. Tch, like he never did that with innocent little Namine.

Kairi yawned and rested her chin on Sora's bare chest, "We really should get ready now."

"But I'd rather stay here." Griped Sora.

"I know, but you have to get your lazy bum up sometime! We can't just spend most of our day kissing in paradise like we have for the last two days! Come on!" Kairi enthusiastically jumped off the bed and pulled on Sora's arm. While Kairi was a morning person, Sora definetely wasn't. They usually had the same high level of energy, but when it came to officially waking up, Sora was never this chipper. But if he were to wake up to this beautiful girl everyday, then, well...

That was a different story.

* * *

"This is _so_ stupid." Said Hayner, his voice laced with boredom. While he kept one arm around his girlfriend (it had been two days since he had seen her last due to work and whatnot), he used his free hand to whack Selphie across the head, "Change the channel."

She refused, "No! We're watching Dora the Explorer whether you like it or not! Don't you ever find yourself in the mood to watch kiddie shows?"

"No, now change the channel! We wanna play!"

"No!"

"But this show is stupid!"

"No it's not!"

"Oh really? I have three words for that girl. GPS. Now hand over the remote." Hayner reached for it but Selphie slapped his hand away.

"Go kiss your girlfriend or something!" Selphie suggested then nodded slowly, "Wow. Never thought I'd ever say that. I am _good_."

"You know what?" Hayner smirked, "I'm going to do just that." On command, he and Olette shared a kiss right in front of her. It was cute at first but then it lasted pretty long. Too long. Selphie shivered. She never thought that Olette would be the type to do that out in the open. She _really_ must've wanted to play with the wii.

"Augh, you win, you win!" Selphie scrambled away after gathering her iced tea and magazine to read elsewhere whilst muttering, "Darn you hormone driven kids. Relationships aren't all about physical stuff y'know..."

"VICTORY!" Hayner and Olette shared a high-five as they claimed the remote and began setting up the wii. They decided to change things up a bit by playing WiiSports. It was the only form of exercise Hayner was accustomed to. As they played baseball, Hayner began complaining about the fact that Sora's mii caught the ball and prevented him from achieving a home run.

As if it were planned, Sora came walking down the stairs with Kairi riding on his back.

Olette squealed and clasped her hands together, "So it's official? I mean, I saw it on facebook and on the island's website, but I just had to make sure. The internet can be very deceiving."

"Well I'm not even going to ask," Said a cranky Hayner; Olette was already winning by 6 points, "They're probably going through another one of those phases that'll help contribute to the fact that they should just hook up already. This is just like the time we all thought they were dating but then some confusing shit sprung out of nowhere and, well, confused the hell out of all of us."

"No Hayner, we're..." Sora intertwined his hand with Kairi's and brought them up, "We're actually together. For real."

The gamer quirked a brow, "Prove it."

"Augh, you do _not_ want that." Came Roxas' voice from the hallway leading into the kitchen, "They'll have their shirts off in 30 seconds tops and will go at it until dinner. Possibly even longer." Kairi's face reddened at the memory of Roxas disrupting her 'session' with Sora. "But at least they're finally down here. Let's take advantage of that and leave now. Where are Riku and Xion?"

"Beats me." From the corner of the room, Pence shrugged, "They're probably making out in Riku's room."

"No, not them too!" Roxas cried dramatically, "What is wrong with you people? Calm your damn hormones!"

"Excuse him," Axel placed a hand on the younger blond's shoulder, "He's just cranky because Namine doesn't let him get any." Nami hid behind her sketchbook and curled into a ball on the couch.

"AXEL!" He scolded, "THAT'S HARDLY APPROPRIATE!" The older teen merely chuckled at Roxas' attemps to tackle him.

"So I can't help but wonder," Kairi started in Aqua's direction, "When Xion and Riku get down, where are we all going?"

Namine, who had come out of her shell, responded with a smile, "The water park."

"Really?" Kairi soon mimicked Nami's bright smile, "That's so cool! Come to think of it, none of us have ever been there yet, huh?"

"I know, right?" Randomly came Selphie's voice from behind the grand piano, "Don't you find it odd that in the two months we've been on this island, we've never gone to the water park?"

"Well that's because two months ago, we couldn't stand looking at each other without mauling each other's heads off." Riku reminded.

This statement caused them all to come to a realization. Amongst the silence, they aknowledged their growth together. It felt like it was only yesterday that Aqua had forced them into those 'get along' games. It didn't take words for them to grin at each other.

Then as if it were rehearsed, the one who tried their hardest to bring them together came walking into the room with Terra in tow. They looked like they were admiring each other. Not necessarily dating, but there was potential. She stopped laughing with Terra when she noticed how silent it was.

"Good morning Aqua~." They all sang with brows raised to tease her.

"Morning." She greeted with a smile, "So what are we up to today?"

"Water park!" Sora cheered.

"Really? All of us?" They all confirmed with nods. "That's cute. It'll be like a septuple date." Pence and Ventus cleared their throats. "Septuple date plus bromance. Happy?"

"Pleased." Ven replied falsely.

Roxas was already packed and ready at the door with an inflatable pink tube around his waist and a towel over his shoulder, "Well what are you all sitting around for? Let's go!"

* * *

**Atlantica Water Park **

"I'm not gonna lie; I feel really homosexual right now." Roxas confessed insecurely. He, along with his half-naked twin brother, half-naked best friend and half-naked fellow gamer (Riku obviously didn't join them due to the lack of shirt required) were huddled together on one narrow four-seater tube. They were ready to be pushed down the spiral water slide at any second.

"Gee, that's new." Came Hayner's sarcastic retort. The girls were currently going down the slide together, giggling and shrieking in joy below them. The four remained quiet as Terra held back the crazed fans.

After the awkward silence the four shared, Axel decided to speak up, "Okay, one of us is thinking about sex. It's me."

"I beg to differ." Hayner grinned madly.

"Hold up, let me get this straight," Roxas shook his head to clear his thoughts, "You're on a tube with four half-naked guys, and you're thinking about doing the dirty?"

Sora twitched, "Well when you put it that way-"

Without warning, the teen in charge of pushing them down the slide immediately did so. They all had to admit that it wasn't as fun as they thought it would be.

"Okay, we're going to make this thing more exciting." Axel gripped the handles on either side of him and began shifting his weight back and forth, "Shake the boat!"

"NO!" The blonds cried. Sora focused on balancing the boat in order to keep them alive. At the rate Axel was going, they were sure to fall off the edge and into the abyss below. Surely enough, Axel managed to flip the boat upside down on one of the turns. The pyromaniac hung onto the edge of the slide for dear life while the remaining three slid down the slide on their backs and stomachs, screaming.

"You think the guys actually wanted to ride this thing or were they forced?" Asked Kairi from the exit line below.

Selphie, who was leaning against a picket fence that separated the exit from the entrance, answered, "Forced. Totally."

Namine noted the screaming in the background, "Really? It sure sounds like they're having fun." She was proved wrong when a medical team showed up with a large safety sac under Axel and demanded him to let go of the slide. Around the same time, three unconcious boys with spiral-like eyes and burning backs floated by.

**Lazy River**

"Kairi, what are you thinking of?" Asked her curious boyfriend (who, by the way, still had an aching red back). While their group lounged around in their tubes and splashed each other, the reunited couple remained distant. Sora was slowly dragging Kairi's tube while said redhead lay face-up and relaxed as the sun enlivened her tanning skin.

"Mm," She lowered her sunglasses to look him in the eyes, "Just how my parents are going to _kill_ me when they find out that I got back together with you."

Sora's mood immediately dropped, "Wow, seriously? _That's_ what you're thinking about? Way to kill the mood."

Kairi chuckled and gently splashed his bare chest with water, "If you haven't forgotten, they still remember you as the 'idiot boy who cheated on me'."

"But I didn't." He pouted, tracing his index finger along her arm.

She caressed his cheek, "I know baby."

"You know I _hate_ it when you call me that."

"That's the point." She teased but grew serious afterward, "But, at the moment, you know my parents aren't very fond of you."

"But your parents love me!" Sora declared with his signature _'I'm a hero' _grin, "I can convince them. You don't have to worry about a thing, Kairi. I'm ready to fight for you. I'm pretty sure I can make them love me again. In fact, I'm pretty sure that regardless of what I kinda sorta didn't do, they miss me."

"Yeah, because they'd totally miss the guy who broke their daughter's heart." After rolling her eyes, Kairi smiled again, "But I suppose you're right. It's true. They did love you, Sora. And I'll admit that my dad kinda misses you. He no longer has friends that are worthy enough to face him in Super Smash Bros."

Sora shook his head with a sad grin, "Ah, Mr. Lovelock. I wish my dad was like that."

"Sora..."

"Kairi, please. I don't want to make this dramatic. We've already had enough of that. It's okay." Sora rested his arms and chin on the edge of the tube, inching his face closer to the side of Kairi's, "I've gotten closer with my dad this summer. Thanks to Roxas I think we'll be okay."

"Will he be okay with _us_?"

"That's a joke, Kairi. He likes you. You make me happy and keep me in check. If anything, he'll be thankful! And my mom, well, you know my mom. She loves you."

"Hey! You two!" Roxas hollered from afar, "Don't be strangers! Get over here!" The rest of the household (minus Larxene- she' been too tired to do anything lately) seemed to be laughing at something Axel said.

"He just doesn't want us making out again." Sora pointed out with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't have allowed it anyway, my dear." Kairi shifted her position and began walking with the tube around her waist.

Sora groaned and flailed his arms around, "Here she goes again with the PDA talk."

"You see, this is what I love about getting back together. We don't have to go through all those talks again so, just to make sure that you don't go insane, I'll spare you the details, honey." Kairi patted his cheek before laying face-up again, "Now pull."

"So demanding." Sora joked with over-exaggerated hand gestures, "I hope you're not like this when we get married."

"Are you kidding? Wait 'til I'm pregnant. That should be fun for you."

Sora blushed madly; how did she manage to stay so calm while saying that? "K-Kairi..."

"Oh stop being so cute Sora." She pinched his cheek, "That'll be years from now." Then she narrowed her eyes, "And _only_ years from now."

"Y-yes darling." Sora squeaked before pulling her towards their household friends. About five meters away from them, the couple crossed a small bridge where Tidus' household was standing. The shaggy blond and his broom-haired best friend wolf-whistled.

"So it's true!" Tidus cheers echoed through the bridge, "You're finally back together?"

Sora placed his arms around Kairi's shoulders from behind causing others walking in the water park to squeal and take pictures, "Maybe!" The couple chuckled as they finally reached their closest friends.

"I swear you two are like the Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber of this island." Hayner muttered.

"Someone's jealous." Sora snickered.

"I'm not jealous." Hayner defended, "I'm just a little ticked that you two don't have a cool celebrity name. SoKai? Kaiora? Tch, puh-lease. _Haynette_. Now _that's_ a name."

"I believe RokuNami sounds sexier." Roxas countered.

"Okay blondies, who cares? Let's just get on with our game." Axel slapped the water and whined.

"What are we playing?" Asked Sora.

"We're having a pick-up line competition." Ventus answered with a pathetic chuckle.

"Oh," Sora cracked his knuckles, "I got this." After clearing his throat, he proceeded while directing his next line at Kairi, "Hey baby, are you a parking ticket? 'Cause you got _fine_ written all over you."

"Tch, you call that a pick-up line? Time to watch a pro." Hayner winked at Olette, "Hey babe, let's play army. I'll lay down and you can blow me up."

"Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?" Roxas asked his ashen-haired beauty.

"Are you from KFC? 'Cause those thighs and legs are irresistable." Ventus licked his lips for dramatic effect at no one in particular.

"Can I take a picture of you?" Riku (obviously in a shirt) asked his lounging girlfriend, "I want to show Santa what I want for Christmas."

"Your body's like McDonald's," Sora winked in Kairi's direction, "I'm lovin' it."

"Looking at you makes me bulba soar." Said Hayner.

Selphie splashed him, "Really? A pokemon pick-up line? How lame can you get?"

"Oh I know one," Kairi directed this one at Sora by eyeing him up and down, "Do you happen to have a mirror in your pocket? 'Cause I can totally see myself in your pants." Sora turned beet red as the others whistled and laughed.

"You guys are such amateurs." Axel shook his head in disaproval, "Now _this_ is a pick-up line." He cleared his throat and put on a devilish smile, "Hey babe, if I flip this coin, what are the chances of me getting head tonight?" Everyone simoultaneously boo'd and splashed the pyromaniac with water. Given that it was his opposite element, he shrieked in terror.

"That was _disgusting_." Hayner slapped Axel across the back with a laugh.

A wet-haired Axel frowned at him, "Oh, like your army blow up thing was any better!"

"Hey, guys!" Called someone from the bridge above them. It was Pence, waving at them. They hadn't even noticed that they weren't with him, but nonetheless, the boy continued whilst waving brochures in his hand, "How would you feel about going on a hike?"

* * *

**[ REC o ]**

"'Ello mates! This is Sora Hikari of The Oathkeepers exploring the wilderness of Memory Island. We are currently observing the rare species of Hayner in its natural habitat." Whilst Ventus zoomed in on said species, Sora (wearing the hat he stole from their tour guide) continued to narrate in his fake but believable Pulsian accent, "The _NoLiferus Gamerus, _better known as _the Hayner_, mates once a year with the rare species of Olette..."

The entire household was currently on Pence's suggested hike and exploring the island's lush greenery. According to the cameraman, it was a great way to get away from all the technology and enjoy the true nature that the island had to offer.

"Isn't it fun filming people when they're completely unaware of it?" Said a smirking, cross-armed Kairi to Ventus. To show that he agreed, Ventus merely chuckled and zoomed in to the gamer who was currently picking his nose.

Aqua flinched, "Mm. Attractive."

The four watched as Olette approached Hayner with a map in hand. He immediately withdrew his finger from his nose and mumbled something along the lines of "Hey babe" before throwing an arm over his girlfriend's shoulders and secretly wiping his finger on her shoulder. The camera crew leaned back and ooh'd.

"Remind me to burn Olette's shirt later." Said Sora with a twitching eye.

Back with the rest of the group, Hayner said through gritted teeth and a false smile, "How did you manage to talk me into this?"

_Snap!_ Pence grinned from behind his SLR camera, "Don't know. But it's beautiful, isn't it? Nature is just so easy to appreciate."

"I GOT ONE BAR UP HERE!" Selphie shrieked from atop the hill of the nature trail, her cellphone raised to the heavens. The entire group immediately fought for dominance at the top as they raised their cellphones into the air. Even Namine, who was on deviantart, scrambled up to her boyfriend's shoulders for better service. Pence sweatdropped.

"Whoa, check it out." Roxas, the first to break out of the trance, pointed ahead of the group in awe. Downhill and past a few tropical trees, the sound and sight of a waterfall could be seen/heard. Excitedly, the teens made a mad dash towards it.

"That waterfall is one of the most enjoyed spots on this hike and- 'ey!" The household zoomed right past the tour guide named Noel Kreiss, "Can we please move down in an orderly fashion-!"

Aqua patted the disheartened tour guide's shoulder and chuckled, "Not with these kids."

* * *

"Are you freaking kidding me?"

As the group was faced with the thinnest hanging bridge of life, Hayner squeaked in terror. The waterfall was beautiful, but given the circumstances, it wasn't all that awesome. It must have been _at_ _least_ an 18 meter drop.

"Not so excited now are you?" Noel cackled evilly to smite them.

"We have to cross this bridge to get to the waterfall?" Roxas asked for clarification, "There's no other way?"

"Unless you want to jump off, then yes. The stairs are on the other side." Noel then clapped his hands together and rubbed them with a smirk. Clearly he wasn't frightened at all. "So! Who wants to go first?"

Everyone took one step back in unison.

"You know what? I got this." Kairi stripped down to her swim top and shorts and tossed her bags to her boyfriend, "Hold those for me will you sweetie?"

"Kai, you're not actually gonna walk across the bridge are you?" Sora rubbed the back of his head nervously with a laugh. He really hoped Kairi wasn't serious despite the fact that she very well could be.

"What? Heck no!" After Kairi laughed she looked at them seriously, "I'm jumping off."

Hayner gaped at her words, "Are you _high_?"

Her mouth popped as she said, "Nope!" She then skipped across the first few steps of the bridge, took a deep breath and performed a perfect dive into the mystic waters near the waterfall below. Sora's heart stopped as he and the household ran towards the edge of the land to check if she was all right. Her head hadn't rose to the surface yet.

Sora fell to his knees and yelled her name dramatically.

Five seconds later, her bright red hair became visible along with a huge smile on her face, "Woo! That was _awesome_!" Sora toppled over and sighed.

Noel wolf-whistled, "_Daaaang_. She's one adventerous girl. Cute, too."

Sora stood up, levelled with the brunet and cleared his throat, "Talking about my_ girlfriend_?" Noel wasn't intimidated in the least bit.

"If you do the math, her survival does make sense," Olette explained, "Given the colour and transparency of the water, it should be pretty deep down there."

"Well then, what are we waiting for? !" Ventus excitedly removed his shirt and leaped over the edge.

"Ven!" Aqua shrieked in terror, "Watch out for that-"

All the guys twitched and leaned back.

"- tree branch..." Aqua finished slowly. Poor Ventus fell into the water holding his private area in pain.

* * *

"Come on, Axel."

"No, Roxie, no."

"You are being _such_ a _wuss_. Now get in."

"No! You know how I feel about water!" Whined the pyromaniac. After about half an hour of convincing, the entire group was able to make it across the bridge alive given that most of the guys clung onto their girlfriends and not vice versa.

Now Axel, along with Sora, was currently on the edge of a large rock that could potenitally lead into the mystic waters of the waterfall if one dove off it. It was only about a meter drop, but even then, Axel was terrified. Everyone, even Namine, was enjoying the perfect water and scenery. It was beyond picturesque. It had perfect green grass, a perfect waterfall, perfect plants, perfect rocks, perfect water temperature...

Everything was perfect.

Except Axel.

"You were able to go on the lazy river!" Roxas pointed out.

"The _lazy river_ went up to my _hips_. You can barely keep your head up in there! And it's cold!" The redhead countered whilst hugging himself, "I don't think I can do th-"

_Splosh!_

A smirking Sora half-rubbed half-clapped his hands together in satisfaction for pushing the drummer inside, "And that was for the condoms."

"Sora, come in! The water's great!" Selphie hollered with flailing hands. The brunette complied via cannon ball.

When his head reached the surface, he swam to Selphie and asked for his girlfriend's location. She pointed at an area further from the waterfall, but more off to the side. It seemed to be surrounded by a group of smaller rocks and emitted steam.

Sora grinned madly. High-five to Solice for building a hot spring in the middle of nowhere.

"Don't have too much fun." Selphie advised whilst waving her index finger. Sora ignored her and swam as fast as he could towards the spring. Quietly and stealthily, he got up on one of the rocks and saw that Kairi was alone. He snuck up behind her and took her in his arms, sighing into the warm waters.

She squeaked and turned around to face him, "Hello again."

"Hi~." He leaned in and kissed her forehead so fast that she didn't have time to respond to the gesture.

"Sora, you know how I feel about kissing when people are around." Kairi mumbled with a blush on her steamy face.

To tease her, he walked forward until her back hit a rock. To show that he had complete dominance, he placed his hands on either side of her on said rock, trapping her in place. Slowly, he leaned in towards her ear and whispered huskily, "Well, there's no one around now, is there?"

"YEAH NAMINE! WOO!" Came the cheers from Roxas and their friends. Kairi immediately pushed Sora aside to get a better view. The brunet really felt the need to kick his brother in the balls.

"Oh my gosh!" Kairi squealed at the sight before her. Roxas and Riku stood about five meters apart with Namine swimming from point A (Riku) to point B (Roxas) without any help whatsoever. The rest of them (minus Axel who was wrapped in a towel and hyperventilating on the grass) cheered her on. "She's swimming! Wow!"

Watching Namine swim was like watching her conquer her fear of the outdoors. Roxas couldn't help but have teary eyes by the time Namine crashed into his chest. He took her by the waist and spun her around regardless of the deep waters.

"Hey, guys!" Came Aqua's moment-ruining call, "Look!" Everyone turned their attention to the young woman with oddly-coloured yet interesting short hair. She stood over what appeared to be one of many canoes.

Noel stole a glance at his watch, "She's right. We should get going if you want to finish this tour on time."

"But we're having so much fun." Olette protested with a pout. To emphasize this fact, Riku, Xion, Selphie and Terra jumped from a few rocks nearby the waterfall whilst either screaming or laughing.

Hayner floated by the brunet on his back and sighed in relaxation, "Face it dude. There's no way you're getting us out of here."

"SNAKE!" Aqua suddenly yelled out whilst pointing in a random direction. Her expression read fear as did everyone else who yelped and ran out of the water, running for dear life. Noel smirked and turned to look at the chuckling Aqua by the boats.

"You're welcome."

* * *

"Is it just me, or does it feel a little... _sinister_ here?" Asked a rowing Olette. Since the canoes sat three people each, Olette was placed with Namine and Xion. Kairi, Aqua and Selphie occupied the other girl boat whilst all the guys split themselves into three. The path they currently took was very narrow, filled with nature and _very_ much filled with bugs. The more they advanced, the dirtier the water got. It was hardly transparent now.

"It's all right. We gentlemen will go first to protect you ladies." Noel rowed by with a wink.

Hayner, who was in the same canoe, whacked him with his paddle from behind, "Can you _not_ hit on our girlfriends?"

"You'll end up getting hit yourself." Riku threatened from another boat. As Noel hugged himself, everyone but the girls advanced.

"It's been five minutes." Aqua confirmed from her watch, "Think they're okay?"

"I hope so. This place is starting to creep me out." Selphie shuddered as a large spider crawled up a tree. Suddenly, the guys ahead of them started to scream.

"KILL IT! KILL IT!" That was definetely Axel.

"Whack it! Use a paddle! Get it!" Sora and Roxas.

"We need bait. Throw something in the other direction." Riku.

"No, don't you fucking touch my 3DS. No. NO!" It was pretty obvious who _that_ was.

Kairi's team took action and started rowing forward to rescue them regardless of the countless bugs and unclassified wildlife surrounding them. When they got there, they realized that fighting their fear along the way was worth nothing.

"Really guys? Really?" Xion stared at the baby chocobo balancing itself on a branch above the guys, "Stay calm. It can smell fear."

After the small creature _kwee'd_, it jumped off the branch, landed on Hayner's face and bit him in the nose. The gamer, in turn, panicked and caused their boat to capsize.

"Amazing. I've always wanted to be covered in swamp water." Riku cheer was coated in sarcasm, "Anywhere we can dry off Noel?"

"We're almost there, actually." He answered, "Just tie your boat to ours and separate yourselves among the girl's boats since they're lighter." Without arguments, the boys did so and found themselves on land not long after.

"See what you guys can accomplish if you just work together without arguing?" Aqua sniffled, "I'm so proud."

"So, uh," Sora rubbed the back of his head, "Where exactly are we?" The group was faced with the same amount of lush greenery they started with in the beginning, but this time, there seemed to be a rocky cave atop the elevating land.

"We are at the most memorable part of Memory Island." Noel answered confidently.

"And what, pray tell, makes this part of the island more memorable than the rest?" Axel snorted, "As far as I can tell, the journey here wasn't as fun as the water parks, game systems, clubs, technology-" To shut him up, Roxas punched the redhead's crotch.

* * *

"Okay," Noel clapped his hands together and paced before the cave entrance in a professional manner, "What we have here is the Cave of Memoria. Legend has it that the Memoria stone hidden deep inside the cave's mystical depths can lift any curse placed upon individuals. It has the power to eliminate bad luck, thus giving the individual(s) good slash better memories and a better experience on the resort. But once you're cursed, it's very hard to undo it. The cave is filled with many riddles and challenges, so it's difficult to attain the stone."

"Someone has no life and re-read the tourist script." Hayner teased in a singsong voice.

Namine raised her hand shakily, "So how does one attain this... curse?"

"Legend says that if one touches or, dare I say it, humps the cursed tree, it will bring misfortune to said individual and his or her housemates." Everyone's face had WTF written all over it.

"Wow. I was waiting for some epic story." Sora sighed in disappointment, "But that was about the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

Aqua waved off-handidly, "That aside, I think we should take precautions anyway and try not to touch any trees. Out of curiosity Noel, which tree is it?"

The tour guide pointed behind the group towards the only tree placed on the sandy grounds in front of the cave. Axel was currently mid-way up the tree, hugging it and... doing exactly what Noel asked them not to. Roxas slapped his forehead.

"What?" The pyromaniac asked, "You guys don't actually believe that curse crap do you?" As if it were planned, the cave let out a rumble.

"Ooh, you in trouble~." Noel sang, "I think you guys should go in there and touch the Memoria stone to lift your 'curse'. All cursed individuals must be present in order to reverse the bad luck placed upon themselves."

"You know what?" Hayner rubbed his chin whilst looking at the cave, "I think I've just had enough of all this nature curse whatever stuff. I think we should all just forget about all of this and go back to where we belong."

Everyone simoultaneously agreed and scurried away from the angry cave.

* * *

"That'll be 150 munny."

"Sure." Selphie rummaged through her oversized (and no doubt overpriced) purse and fished out her wallet. Cards of all colours were lined up on the side as well as a few photo booth pictures. "Here you go." She handed the cashier the second last card.

"You are such an _addict_." Kairi rolled her eyes playfully from behind.

"Squeeze me, but shopping for me is like you making out with your boyfriend. You just can't stop 'cause it feels so good."

"Nice analogy."

Selphie gave her the peace sign, "I do my best."

"Sorry Miss," The cashier said apologetically, "But your card has been denied."

"Hm. Okay. Try this one." Selphie handed her another one before turning to her biffle, "I swear I still had like 200 munny on that card."

Kairi crossed her arms, "How do you remember at the rate you're going? You probably spent it already."

"Miss, this card isn't working either." The woman said again. Selphie fished out another card. Denied again.

"What? Okay now _that_'s impossible. I _just_ deposited cash into that card like a week ago!" The shopaholic whined. After a frustrated sigh, she tossed the woman card after card after card. All denied. Her face fell, "No... this can't be happening..."

"Relax, Selph. It might just be the machine. Here, I'll pay in cash." Before Kairi could even unzip her purse, Selphie grabbed her wrist and shook her head, "It's fine. I'll just... not get the incredibly cute shoes."

Kairi placed a hand on the equally short girl, "Well done my son."

After the two exited the shop, they tried three more just to check if it really was the machine's fault. After the third store, Selphie began to rant, "-like how is it possible that _none_ of my cards worked? I swear their machines here are jacked up. How the hell does it deny _fifteen_ cards? Fifteen! It's like those shoes and I were never meant to be and- oh my gosh..." Light bulb. "You don't think..."

"What? What is it?" Kairi looked around discreetly as if the two were about to commit a crime.

"Wh-what if I'm cursed, Kairi?"

...

"If this were a movie, this would be the part when the cricket noises kick in." Said Kairi after the silence. "Really Selphie? You're seriously gonna believe a silly (not to mention stupid) island legend when we've got tons back home? As far as I'm concerned, nothing bad has happened to us."

"Correction. Nothing bad has happened to_ you_."

"And nothing will. It's just pure coincidence that all your cards were denied." Kairi patted her shoulder for reassurance but the brunette-blonde just pouted. "Now come on. Let's go find everyone and go home. We've all had a long day."

* * *

Yellow.

All he saw was yellow.

Yellow, and the end of the world.

"No." In Hayner's shaking hands lay his beloved PlayStation3, a small yellow light emitting from the edge, "Th-this can't be..."

"What is it?" Sora asked worriedly from behind. When he saw the yellow light, his eyes widened for a split second, "Oh."

Kairi held the sides of her face and gasped dramatically, "Not the yellow light of death!"

"Aren't you a tech geek?" Axel asked whilst tossing a jellybean into the air and catching it in his mouth, "Fix it."

"That's the thing. I _don't_ know how to fix it." The gamer confessed. Everyone in the living room froze.

Riku rose his hand, "Hold up. Let me get this straight. You can hack an entire stadium and control all its cameras, lights and sounds without being caught by security... but you can't fix a PS3?"

"Uhm..." Hayner scratched the back of his head, searching for a less embarrassing answer other than "Yes..."

Roxas shook his head in disappointment while everyone else laughed, "Dude, that's like... that's like Steve Jobs not knowing how to use an iPad."

"Like Mark Zuckerburg not knowing how to use Facebook." Axel added.

"Thanks for the concern guys. Appreciate it. Really."

Olette, the only one who showed any form of generous affection, took the PS3 from his arms as if she were handling a baby, "What about this; we have a look at it in the garage and see what we can do. I'm sure it's quite similar to what you do know how to fix."

Hayner nodded his head like a child and trotted behind his girlfriend, "Pretty boy, mind lending us your keys? Garage 1 is the only one with tools so we need to move your car."

"Sure thing." Roxas chucked his keys over to the swirly-eyed gamer. Before he could get it, Ventus caught it.

"I-I'll move it." He offered.

"Uh, sure." Olette agreed, "Just tell us when it's ready." When the trio exited the house, silence fell upon the remaining teenagers.

"This is starting to get creepy." Selphie, who sat with her back against the coffee table, hugged her knees.

"My pits?" Axel lifted his arms a little to reveal them, "Ugh, I know. I gotta shave them."

After shielding her eyes, Selphie shook her head, "No, not that. What's creepy is that all my cards were declined earlier and now Hayner's game system is broken. Coincidence? I think not." The teens could've sworn they heard a crash from the driveway but paid no mind to it.

"Are you saying that the curse from earlier has something to do with this?" Sora asked logically. When the fire alarm went off in the garage followed by _'Get the fire extinguisher! Extinguisher!_', Selphie merely nodded. Roxas, Sora, Axel and Riku decided to take action and ran towards the garage with everyone else trailing behind. After Roxas busted the door open, he was met with a lot of smoke and an awful odour. Coughing and waving the smoke away, Olette, Hayner and Ventus finally became visible with a toasted PlayStation on the ground.

"It, uh... we couldn't fix it." Came the obvious from Ventus.

Hayner sniffled, "The BlackOps disk was still in there..."

"Where is my car?" Roxas asked fearfully and slowly.

"I parked it in the third garage just in case something like this would happen." His look-alike replied.

"Did you close the door?"

Ventus blinked twice, "Maybe."

The sunkist-blond's voice raised, "You left my car _unattended_ with the garage door opened? !" Before he could respond, Roxas sprinted into the driveway and into the third garage. Surely, the door was left open along with his car parked inside. Relieved that it was still there, Roxas approached it only to be met with horror. He toppled backwards and fainted into his brother's arms. Sora decided to have a look at the car and ended up dropping his brother on the floor in shock. Axel decided to live in the moment and laugh.

Before them was Roxas' convertible in one piece with the words _'I'm gay and I like it up the bum!'_ spray-painted in red across the hood. Sadly, the top was down so his leather seats suffered from a paint job as well, only this time, it was pink.

After a few minutes of sinking the misfortune in, Sora realized something, "Wait. My motorcycle is parked in garage 3."

Ventus rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Uhh, about that... the lights were kinda off so..." In the next second, Sora's unconscious body lay next to his brother's.

x

**Update Status: **_What's on your mind?_

**Roxas Hikari-Aethon:** That awkward moment when your best friend humps a tree and gets your whole household cursed .  
_6 minutes ago_. **Axel SexyBeast Oryxine** and** 8 others** likes this.

* * *

The next day proved to be just as eventful as the last when Riku came walking into the dining room for breakfast with an eyepatch covering his right eye.

"Arg." Sora mocked with his index finger curved into a fake hook.

"The hell happened to you?" Hayner asked before stuffing a spoonful of scrambled eggs in his mouth.

"I accidentally left a contact lens on last night. I thought I took it off but apparently I didn't." Riku replied calmly as he took his seat, "My eye felt a little weird this morning so I went to the hospital with Xion and Aqua and the doctors told me to keep this eyepatch on to balance my vision."

Selphie sent Kairi her 'I told you so' stare, "Do you believe we're cursed now?"

"Co-in-ci-dence." The redhead annunciated slowly.

"So it's mere coincidence that all my cards were declined, Hayner's PS3 broke, Roxas' car was vandalized, Sora's motorcycle was crushed and that Riku's vision was impaired all in the span of, what... 15 hours?"

"Precisely." And thus her argument begun. "One, your cards were bound to be declined sometime. Two, PS3's don't last forever; they have to break at some point. Three, that was, no offense, Ventus' fault for leaving the car unattended. Four, also Ventus' fault. And five, Riku was the one who accidentally left his contact lens on, not some curse... thing. So let's just stop being overreactive teenagers and forget this curse thing ever happened."

"So authoritative." Sora smirked, "Sexy. I like it."

"Not now Sora." Kairi snapped. Sora rose his hands in defense and backed up.

Aqua cleared her throat from the end of the table, "Look, we all have different views on things. That's just how it is. But let's not fight over it, okay? Let's just accept the views, build a bridge, and get over it."

"Gladly." The two girls accepted.

"Well I'm not taking any chances." Roxas announced while gathering the plates, "I'm staying right here. In this house. Where I, and nothing else, can be harmed."

"I'm with you there." Hayner agreed. He was swiftly followed with nods from the entire household.

"Well I'm going outside." Everyone looked at Kairi as if she were on drugs. "Guys, you're blowing this whole thing way out of proportion. It's just a silly story they have to attract more customers. It all just comes down to money in the end, so don't fall for it. Curses are only in the movies. This is just nothing. I mean, what else could possibly go wrong? Roxas' guitar breaking? Riku going blind in the other eye? Tch. Now come on Sora." After whimpering like a lost puppy, Sora followed her to the door.

"She just jinxed it didn't she?" Asked Ventus.

"Knock on wood." Axel demanded the entire table while slamming his knuckles onto the dining table, "KNOCK ON THE DAMN WOOD."

x

Surely enough, what Kairi joked about earlier actually came true when she and Sora returned from their date that evening. Three out of six strings on Roxas' guitar did break and due to a ping pong incident in the basement with Xion, Riku ended up going blind in the other eye, causing him to wear a black blindfold for the time being. On top of that, Namine's sketchbook fell in the pool, Axel sprained his ankle during basketball with Ventus, Pence's camera shattered to pieces when he dropped it down the staircase and Selphie broke four nails while attempting to play tennis with Aqua.

And just to make things better, the power just went out.

"It's official," Sora waved his phone around in the dark, "We're the only household whose power's out. Tidus, Hope and Larxene's neighbourhoods are fine. Our whole row's fine, too."

"So it's settled. We're cursed." Axel groaned admittedly while playing with his lighter.

"The power's out? I didn't notice." Spat a blindfolded Riku.

Hayner sniffled, "No wi-fi..."

"Have any of you seen my phone?" Came Kairi's panicky voice as the redhead waved around a flashlight.

"Did you leave it outside by the pool earlier?" Roxas suggested.

"Maybe! B-but I'm too scared to go out there." Kairi admitted.

"Come on beautiful." Almost immediately, Kairi was riding on Sora's back towards the backyard pool. It was extremely dark without the pool lights and whatnot, but at least the moon was supporting them. "Okay, where do you think you left it?"

"I think I put it on the ground before I went inside to get some food and-" Kairi gasped and got off her boyfriend's back. She ran to the edge of the oddly shaped pool and dropped to her knees, trying to make out something at the bottom of the pool. She gulped. "Sora. Call my phone."

Without asking why, he complied. There was a small light glitching at the bottom of the small body of water until it completely died. If Sora weren't there to catch her when she toppled over, she probably would've suffered the same fate as her phone. When Sora carried her back inside bridal style, he explained the situation.

"Okay. That's it. There's only one way to fix this." After securely tying a strip of black cloth around his head, Hayner smeared black marks across his cheeks and spun a paintball gun in one hand, "We have to go back to that cave."

"What?" Kairi asked in disbelief, "It's ten o'clock! Do you know how far that place is? No one's even there to give tours anymore!"

"Do you want this curse gone or what?" The gamer questioned. Without hesitation, the entire household armed themselves for battle. From the basement, they retrieved any weapons they could find given that most of them were used for activities (ex: tennis rackets, paintball guns etc.). The most lethal, though, must've belonged to Xion, who had claimed the bow and arrow used for archery.

"My lady." Sora bowed respectfully and offered an iffy Kairi a nerf gun. "Come on Kairi. You heard Noel. In order to reverse this thing, we all need to be there. Don't you want to avenge your phone?"

Remembering her phone, she smirked and took hold of the gun's trigger, "Let's do this."

"FOR NARNIA!" Roxas declared, raising his pool noodle to the heavens. The household did the same with their various weapons and let out a battle cry before walking to the bus stop in silence.

* * *

"It's left."

"It's right."

"It's LEFT."

"RIGHT."

"LEFT."

"RIGHT."

"Okay, you're both idiots." Confirmed Riku to the twins, "I'm _blind_ and I can already sense that it's the one in the middle."

The teens were currently faced with a crossroads in the middle of the rainforest lit only by the moonlight. While Sora remembered Noel leading them left, Roxas just wanted to take a different path so that they wouldn't have to face the dangers of the hanging bridge. Riku was way off considering that there was a huge tree placed in the middle.

"Fine. We'll have to split up." Sora decided. "Anyone in favour of following Roxas to the vast unknown and into a potentially horrific death may do so now. I, on the other hand, am taking the bridge."

Kairi, Olette, Hayner and Selphie left for the left path with Sora while Riku, Xion, Namine and Axel (given that Roxas had to carry him due to his sprained ankle) followed Roxas right. Aqua, Terra, Ventus and Pence merely high-fived each other before going their seperate ways with their camera gear.

* * *

**Team One: Sora, Kairi, Hayner, Olette, Selphie, Ventus and Aqua**

"Did you hear that?" Hayner asked their troop while pressed against a tree.

"Hear what?" Kairi asked, raising her nerf gun cautiously.

_Kweh! Kweh!_

The dirty-bold immediately aimed his gun toward a silhouetted tree branch and shot a paintball towards the sound. A baby chocobo coated in pink paint came falling off the tree branch a second later.

"You murderer!" Selphie cried while cradling the chick in her arms.

"Hey, on the bright side, if we light a fire, we can eat it!" Hayner grinned.

"Wait... if that's the baby, where's the-" Sora's ears perked when he heard an older animal cry from a not-so-far distance, "Mom..."

"Run." Olette demanded as she heard heavy steps approaching them, "Run!" Poor Ventus wasn't as fast as his companions were due to the camera and ended up getting trampled by the full grown chocobo, the mic wobbling in front the camera as an angry screech was heard in the background.

That chocobo was quite a shocker, huh? It chased us down all the way to the bridge until it tipped over and fell into the water!

Selphie pouted, "Yeah, I hope it's okay..."

"Are you kidding me? I hope that thing died a watery death. It bit part of my hair off. Look at this." Hayner removed his beanie hat and revealed a bald spot on the back of his head, "How am I gonna live like this?"

"At least you didn't get trampled." Mumbled Ventus who was rocking back and forth on the edge of the couch.

How did you feel?

"Shocked. My heart was pounding like _crazy_." Sora answered truthfully. "That chocobo was pretty fast. I didn't even remember seeing any chocobos when Noel took us on that tour!"

"You know what? Behind all the running and fear, I actually thought it was really fun!" Kairi squealed, "I've never seen a full grown chocobo!"

I agree with Kairi. It was pretty fun, wasn't it? I just felt sorry for it at the end.

"Fun? Tell that to my hair." Hayner spat.

"But we were glad to know that it was still okay when we found it alive nearby the waterfall later on." Said Olette gratefully, "And thank goodness I nursed the chick back to health or the mom would've ripped our heads off! ... But it seems that one of us already took the damage." Her boyfriend growled.

* * *

**Team Two: Roxas, Namine, Riku, Xion, Axel, Terra and Pence**

"This is so cool man. I think I'm actually starting to appreciate nature now. I'm totally starting to feel the Avatar vibe. I feel like I'm one with the Na'vi." Said Axel on Terra's back. Then, out of the blue, he pressed his red hair against a tree, "Oel ngati kameie. I see you, man. I see you. Where's Eywa at?"

"Axel, stop fooling around. We have to find a way to that cave." Roxas said authoritatively with Namine clinging onto his arm desperately.

"Darling, do you even know where we're going?" Asked his trembling lover.

"N-no." He led the flashlight away from his face to hide his embarassment, "But if we follow this path, we're bound to end up somewhere, right?" Five minutes later, their troop felt the terrain getting softer and softer and felt much like sand.

"Huh," Axel stole a glance at Xion, "Xi, I just noticed, but you're pretty short."

"What? I'm average height!" The raven-haired girl argued, "The sand's just getting higher."

"No, you're getting shorter." Riku, though blindfolded, got on his knees and starting feeling the ground, "We're all getting shorter."

Terra's eyes widened, "Quicksand."

I heard you guys encountered some quicksand. Ha, how did that go?

"Well our first instinct was to, of course, panic." Roxas chuckled. "Terra advised us not to move since it would make us sink faster, so we tried to calm down."

"But the further we sank, the more we screamed." Laughed Xion pathetically.

Riku, whose eyes had been nursed back to health, said, "It wasn't exactly the best experience for a blind person."

How'd you get out?

"The escape was_ painful_." Axel's expression matched his answer, "Well, for me at least, given that I had a sprained ankle. I barely saw what happened, but from what I can tell, Terra was able to pull all of us out by tying a rope to a tree stub or something."

Hmhm. He is strong.

"Yeah, is he taking steroids or something?" Whispered Roxas discreetly.

What the- no. Okay, we're done with the questions.

"No, no! Seriously Aqua, I don't think he should be doing that! It's just going to make his shlong smaller and-"

* * *

**Team One: Sora, Kairi, Hayner, Olette, Selphie, Ventus and Aqua**

"It's right."

"Left."

"Right."

"Le-"

"We're _not_ doing this again." Said an irritated Sora, "We have to split up again."

"What? We barely survived with the seven of us!" Selphie whined, "We were lucky enough to make it across the bridge alive!"

"We'll all end up in the same place." With his right hand intertwined with Kairi's, Sora began taking the path on the left, "Maybe. Anyone coming with us?"

"I'm not playing third wheel." With his hands raised in surrender, Ven took the middle path with Aqua and Selphie. Olette and Hayner went right. Two minutes into their adventure, Sora squeezed Kairi's hand tighter.

"Sora? What is it?" Kairi asked worriedly.

"What?"

"You're killing my hand." Chuckled his girlfriend nervously.

"Oh! Sorry." He immediately loosened his grip and gave her a heartwarming smile, "It's just... it's nice. Holding your hand, I mean. Makes me feel safe. I guess I just got a little scared that I'd lose you again. This place is kinda creeping me out, hehe..."

"Aw, Sora," She dropped her gun, caressed his cheek with her free hand and leaned in towards his face, "I'm not going anywhere." The brunet dropped his wooden sword and closed the gap between their lips sweetly.

He pulled away with a smirk and licked his lips, "Hm, what is that you're wearing? Strawberry?"

"Erm," Kairi rubbed her elbow, "Yeah."

"Can I have more?" He whispered seductively. Sora took her blush as a 'yes' and kissed her hotly, leading her back towards a nearby tree.

"Mm, Sora-"

"Nice to see that you're using your time wisely." Came a teasing voice. When the two pulled away from each other, they were met with a smirking Roxas and a trembling Namine.

"R-Roxas!" Sora leaned backward, obviously startled, "What are you doing here? Where's the rest of your group?"

"We split up. Looks like we left right on time." To act cool, Roxas leaned against a tree. With a red face, Kairi continued down the path to save herself from further embarassment with a giggling Namine by her side.

Sora growled at his baby brother, "Third time you've cockblocked me today."

"Well sorry!" Remarked Roxas sarcastically with unecessary hand gestures, "I was focused on reversing a household curse here!"

"Whatever. The damage has been done. Let's go." Sora proceeded in picking up his wooden sword before gruffly following the girls. Roxas merely giggled and followed behind.

It wasn't long before the entire household met up at the same waterfall from earlier. Since they knew what was coming next, they armed themselves even more by pulling down their sleeves, tightening their pads, reloading their weapons and hopped on the canoes. Since it was very dark, they could barely see, but at least there was only one path they could take. Miraculously, no one capsized and the ride there went smoothly.

"LAND HO!" Cheered Sora as the tip of his canoe reached the sandy surface. From here, the group knew where to go. They advanced up the hill and came face to face with the Cave of Memoria lined up in a semi-circle. They all took a deep breath and loaded their weapons.

"What if we die in there?" Gulped Hayner.

"We made it this far alive, haven't we?" Reminded Sora optimistically. "Now come on. We have a curse to reverse." He giggled childishly, "That rhymed."

"Amazing. Let's go." Without fear or hesitation, Riku walked forward only to hit one of the large rocks by the entrance. After a sympathetic Sora picked up the blind teen and guided him inside, the remaining members of the reverse curse squad followed them into the vast unknown.

* * *

**Yes, I survived Hurricane Irene AND the earthquake! TAAANK. Hehe... just trying to lighten up the mood there. ****Don't worry guys, I am very much alive! But seriously. Dkm. I know it's been like... more than two months, but hey, the reality that kicks in after summer is just like BAM. In fact, I'm still not over it. When I got back to Canada, work was just thrown at me! I'm in junior year now, which is potentially- actually, screw potentially- the WORST FREAKING YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL. Seriously. There is not one week when I don't have a test.**

**Augh. Enough of that. I don't want to think about school. Back to the story. I hope you still love me :( !**

**So this chapter was just a bit of fun. I decided to put it in there for some comedic relief. It was actually supposed to be a good 10, 000 words longer but it's already so long so I split the curse into two chapters. Since I know what happens in the next chapter (and the one after that), it should arrive MUCH MUCH quicker than this chapter. I will NEVER update this late ever again. Ever. I hope you all still enjoyed it regardless of it's lateness! And yes, I do know the curse kicked in real quick and was very farfetched, but you'll see why in the next chapter ;D**

**And this chapter was a little all over the place with the format huh? Guess I just wanted to spice things up a bit and get creative. Sorry if it confused you :S**

**Anyways, since I received a whopping 68 reviews for the last chapter (HOT DAAAAMN), I won't reply to them here. I'll PM Message all of you as soon as I can (trying out something new :D). And actually, I've been considering replying to your reviews and messages via video lately. If you want me to do that, please check out the poll on my profile. Last time I made a poll about Jared and I going live on blogtv (it went EXTREMELY well- 100% yes lol), but since he's MIA, I might have to make a video by myself. It'll probably go on youtube or something, so tell me what you think about that. My HD camera awaits ;)**

**And even if I'm replying via PM message right now, I still have to thank all of you who reviewed. So thank you to: **Phenomenon45, MegaWallflower, harajukuluv3r (i love ur penname *harajuku fan too*), Dennou Writer, happy reader, Burai Stelar, flightlessraven, ashley, XxShelby-ChanxX, TwinToshiro, xalixrocketsx, Sakura088TheDarkNinjaPanda17, xoKyoriiSomeoneFTW, Allers3, Artism, TinyPalm, TheYouDriPRED, Keyblades of Oblivion, 0-Wishful Thoughts-0, WeDidItForTheDead, AKAAkira, Allied Forces, EllieB, GuyYouDon'tKnow, Fuline Lite, ShadowSpooky, Sozic, paopufruit-to-go, Mattacheu, ChocoIsu, California Sandwich, Pandamon, Hydro Dexter, Rytex, asb227, sunshinemeg82, TheMaskedGirl, Nikolas Sur, DeadxColor, Redeeming Endeavor, Dreamstation369, The Moon's Berserk, Tyjet Ansatsu, DragoNik, LittleKeybladeNinja, Mokimoki-chan, nine-taileddemonfox1597, Noobster, Sookdeo, 2bblue101, Riptide217, Aurtus, a star-shaped fruit27, DestinyKeyblader28, I love you Elena-DamonS, Sypherianlp, Zoe the Hunter, Moon Princess016, Meryq, Spellbound aka soragirl4ever, EternallySky, Jared Someone, Lupus7, beckster411, CupcakeLerman, AsoenixKristian, Q-A the Authoress, Dusk-Sky, the ultimate kh fan, Ninjakicker5000 and there's a bunch of you who have blank usernames but THANK YOU TO YOU TOO :)

**Wow guys. I hope all of you still love me enough to review again :S I'm so sorry for this excruciatingly late update. I swear on my life I won't ever be this late again. I'm also sorry for any grammar errors, and I hope I'll still have your support after this release! Love you guys! Stay safe!**

**Later days! (weekenders . i will forever miss that show.)**

**xoKyorii**


	32. The Beginning of The End

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** . ©

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait! At least it wasn't as late as last time haha. Another very important poll is up on my profile page so please check it out if you've got the time! And yes, my profile avatar has been changed. Gale fans, I'm sorry, but Peeta Mellark ftw. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**. Chapter XXXII .**

_**. The Beginning of The End .**_

**Line of The Chapter:  
**_"If life was fair, we wouldn't have learned anything, would we?"_

The instant the group walked in, a wave of astonishment rushed through them. It took minutes for them to register that the scene before them was actually real. That a scene like that could actually exist.

The fourteen were faced with a mystical dark cavern. It didn't have the sinister feel to it at all like they had expected. If anything, it was magical with a hint of mystery. The darkness was illuminated by glowing crystals of various colours on the rocky walls, and because of this, the group refrained from wasting their flashlight's battery life.

"Hey," While shielding his eyes from the light, Roxas tried adjusting his vision to something glowing brighter than the rest. It was about fifty meters away from them, by itself on a rocky podium. "I think I see something."

Axel, who was born with hyperopia, was able to make out the image, "It's a yellow rock! I see a pretty glowing yellowish rock!"

On impulse, Sora recklessly sprinted forward.

"Sora, wait!" Cried a distressed Kairi, "There could be a trap!" Surely enough, her boyfriend's foot got caught in a snare. A rope pulled him upward and upside down in the mere span of two seconds. The group immediately ran to help him while Sora remained calm and tried to escape.

"It's okay guys. I have a-" A sharp metal object fell from one of the holsters on his belt, "-knife..."

"All right noobs, step aside. COD throwing knife skills coming through." Hayner cockily picked up the knife and threw it nowhere near Sora. While the brunet sighed in relief, the rest snickered. On the other hand, Xion, armed with the deadly bow and arrow, took a confident shot and successfully cut the rope, causing Sora to fall about five meters and into Terra's arms.

"All right guys. Thanks to Sora, we now know that we have to watch our step. So everyone _slowly_ walk towards the rock, understand?" Aqua commanded.

Everyone agreed and made it to the glowing rock without fail. Up close, it resembled a yellow gem. The area the gem was in seemed somewhat darker than the rest of the cavern and was circular without any crystals on the walls. The only source of light was the mysterious yellow light emitting from said gem. The group formed a circle around the podium in the center, mesmerized by the glowing object's beauty.

"So this is it?" Hayner asked. "This is all we came here for? Just like that and the curse is gone?"

Ven shook his head, "It can't be. That was way too easy. There has to be some catch."

"And I think I found it." Olette approached the rocky podium and got down on one knee. She began wiping something with her sleeve and came across an antique frame with Pulsian writing engraved on it.

"Can you read it?" Namine asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can." Olette narrowed her eyes and cleared her throat, "Yellow. Yellow is warning. Dangerous challenges await you. Your journey has just begun. To begin, speak what the sea contains most."

"Seriously? Is this legit?" Asked Selphie.

"Well let's find out, shall we?" Roxas began rubbing his chin in thought, "So guys, what does the sea contain most?"

"Sharks."

"Jellyfish."

"Fish."

"Pee."

"Turtles." Came the various answers.

"_Water_, guys. Water." Answered Kairi logically.

Feeling stupid, Axel chuckled nervously, "Water makes sense."

"Well nothing's happening when we're saying water in English, so maybe we should try saying it in Pulsian?" Xion suggested. "What's the Pulsian word for water?"

"Aqua." Said blue-haired girl answered confidently. With that, the wall on the far side crumbled and slid to the side, revealing a new downward path. Shocked, the teens each took one giant step back.

"Oh snap, this is gonna be like some epic Lord of The Rings shiz!" After reloading his gun, Hayner let out a battle cry and ran down the path, "Let's do this!"

With more confidence, the group ran down the rocky spiral staircase lit by torches and ended up in a weaponry. The sinister feeling they were expecting earlier slowly began to kick in at the sight of the deadly weapons displayed on the wall.

Roxas frowned and rolled his eyes at Axel, "You just _had_ to hump the tree didn't you."

"Let it go." Said the redhead through gritted teeth.

"Are we actually supposed to use these?" Gulped Selphie. The weapons ranged from small throwing knives to elaborately designed gunblades placed on the far right side. "They really weren't kidding about danger, were they?"

"Guess not." Without fear or hesitation, Roxas selected a keyblade from the left side. Axel followed suite by limping towards the chakrams placed in the middle. Sora took a step towards his favoured weapon, which was the same as his brother's though in a different design. He thrusted a girlier keyblade in Kairi's arms.

Hayner inhaled sharply, "So we're doing this? We're actually doing this?"

"It's either this or a lifetime of pain and misfortune." Xion bluntly pointed out while abandoning her archery set for a sturdy keyblade. Olette managed to get her hands on an even better set of bows and arrows with arrows light as a feather but as sturdy as adamantite. Eventually they all loaded themselves with the better weapons provided excluding Hayner. He believed that he and his paintball gun had chemistry and were born to work together.

With their minimal armour and weapons settled, the fourteen found themselves in front of a large wooden door. With a deep breath, Terra and Sora pulled the lever on the side, slowly lifting the door. When completed, the team advanced into a deeper cavern now lit by blue flames on the sidelines. In front of them was a large body of water (not necessarily a sea) with wooden canoes awaiting them. About fifty meters away was another podium, but this time, it was empty.

"If we die here tonight, I'd just like to say that it was nice knowing all of you. You're all really... great... people..." Confessed Hayner unexpectedly. Although taken aback, they all grinned at him and agreed.

"Who said that?" Asked Riku, trying to feel someone in front of him when, in fact, there was no one there.

"Hayner." His girlfriend whispered.

"Oh. You too, dude. You too." Replied the blind man.

"Okay," Roxas cracked his knuckles, "Let's do this. Olette." The sunkist blond gestured towards the podium three feet away from them that held Pulsian contents on yet another frame.

The archer walked forward and translated the ancient text, "Turquoise. Calmness. The blend between blue and green. Water's representation. Remain calm and retrieve the gem in the water to advance."

Sora ran to the edge of the water and made out a glowing turquoise gem about 25 (if not higher) feet below. It was bright enough to reassure him that there was nothing suspicious lingering in the water, making their job much easier.

"I'll get it." Roxas offered, already stripping himself of his shirt.

"I'll get it." Fought Sora through gritted teeth.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Kairi lightly brushed past the both of them, "Destiny Island girl. Let me do this."

Ventus butted in, "Since you're all just going to argue, I'll do it."

"I'm stronger than all of you. Let me go." Terra requested deeply.

Xion cleared her throat, "I believe I can be of some assistance."

"Children please. I got this." Tried Sora again.

"Let me go!" Whined Kairi.

"You can't go, Kai." Said Sora defensively.

"Honey, are you picking a fight with me?"

"I'm just keeping you safe." He reassured.

"So you doubt my skill to get the gem unharmed?"

"Kairi, please don't be complicated right now-"

"Complicated?" It was on. "Complicated? You're being complicated! Just let me go and get it over with!"

"Who won first place in the swimming competition?"

"I did! And I was faster than you in my division!"

"By five seconds!"

"Guys, guys!" Aqua began flailing her arms like a madman in the middle of their childish bickering, "This is exactly the behaviour that contradicts the meaning of the gem itself! Turquoise! Calmness! The gem wants you to achieve calmness! So _calm the fuck down_!" The arguing children immediately stopped at Aqua's authoritative voice.

"Wait," Olette continued to rub at the text, "There's more. It says four of you can accept the challenge all at once. It begins when every member steps on the platforms."

"What platforms?" Asked Sora impatiently. When Roxas dipped a toe into the water to test it's temperature, four circular glowing platforms that could fit one person each rose to the surface before them. "Well, that answers that."

"We should choose our candidates wisely." Suggested Olette, "We don't know what dangers that water could bring. I nominate Sora and Kairi for sure. They're our best swimmers."

"Roxas is pretty handy with that keyblade and is as good a swimmer as his brother," Ventus sighed, "So I'll give him this chance."

"One more." Reminded the pyromaniac. "Personally I think it should be a girl so the rest of you won't whine about us guys being sexist."

"Agreed." Came the agreements. No other girl accepted the challenge until Xion walked towards one of the platforms without a word. Sora, Kairi and Roxas did the same after Namine bade her boyfriend farewell with a kiss on the cheek.

"On three." Commanded Sora. "One. Two. Three!" On three, the four teens simoultaneously took their places on the platforms. Almost immediately, they began to move towards the center of the water. The four had quite a hard time keeping balance but got used to it halfway. A glimmer of light flashed before their eyes, causing them to turn towards their housemates who were pressed up against some forcefield that seperated them from each other. They helplessly banged against the transparent force, each time their fists making contact transparent turquoise hexagons would appear then diminish in a flash before their eyes. The field covered the entire radius of the water, leaving the four trapped inside.

"No escape." Whimpered Roxas. He tried to mask his fear with a sheepish smile but obviously no one was buying it.

As the four teens formed a circle around the gem below, a deep male voice began counting down from ten. To mask her fear, Xion formed a stance, poised to attack. The three followed suite, but it was clear that the four of them were nowhere near calm.

"Five."

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

As if the water had arms, it lunged towards the keyblade weilders and trapped them each in a tight embrace that left them dangling 2 feet above the surface. The first to outsmart it was Kairi, who froze the water trapping her with magic and set herself free. She could see the blue magic bar on her blade decrease, but she still had enough for fifty or so spells. She fell into the water and began to swim towards the clearly visible gem until a vine of water wrapped itself around her neck and began to choke her.

"Kairi!" Yelled a distressed Sora. He froze his share of water and escaped to save her. While he was free and moving, Xion and Roxas were still locked tight. Xion had already lost grip of her keyblade, causing it to plummet down to the water below. The blond went for a different approach. A knowledgeable approach. He didn't want to risk using up all his magic, so he tried not to struggle. Maybe the water was like the quicksand from earlier. The calmer the individual, the slower to process of possible death.

And Roxas was right.

The steadier his breath and the calmer his mind, the more the water loosened its grip on him. It wasn't long before he was treading freely on the water's surface. Xion, on the other hand, was still in trouble. The raven-haired girl just continued to struggle and panic. Just like Kairi, the water had moved to her neck. If she didn't act now, she could, dare he say it, die of asphyxiation.

And for Roxas, that's when the pieces fell into place.

The water was controlled by their moods.

The more Roxas calmed his mind, the calmer the water became. The more consumed by fear they were, the scarier the water got. All four of them initially started out frightened, that's why the water attacked them so quickly. And since his thoughts were consumed with worry for Xion at the moment, the water around him was beginning to stir.

_"Turquoise. Calmness."_ Being calm was the only way they could win this thing. That wasn't going to be easy with his pansy of a brother freaking out every five seconds.

"Xion!" Screamed the blond, "Don't fight it! You have to stay calm!" Without questioning his logic, Xion did so and ended up treading beside him in no time. "The water's controlled by our moods." He began to explain, "So we have to stay calm if we want to get anywhere near that gem."

"Run, run!" Commanded a panting Sora. He and Kairi were practically skating on the surface of the water by freezing patches to create a solid path. Vines of water continued to chase them as their mood grew further and further from calm. Since the two were born stubborn and reckless, it seemed almost pointless to explain the situation to them.

"Leave them be." Said Roxas. He and Xion nodded before going their seperate ways underwater. While Xion went to retrieve her keyblade, Roxas went for the gem. The blond was beginning to think that it was a shame that Sora and Kairi couldn't keep calm under pressure. They would've made it to the gem much faster than he could given that they had more training. But nonetheless, the blond was able to make it.

The instant his hand clasped around the glowing object, the water reached its permanent state of tranquility. The vines stopped attacking, Sora and Kairi (though shocked) were safe, Xion had gotten her keyblade back and Roxas calmly rose to the surface. Without hesitation, the blond walked up to the empty podium and placed the gem in place. The forcefield wore off, and they could tell because they could hear their housemates cheering from the other side. With it, they were muted. A new wall had also opened up a path for them, leading them elsewhere.

"How- wha- ah-..." A very confused Sora scanned the area and found his brother offering him a hand. He took it while Xion helped Kairi up. The rest took the canoes across the water, given that most of them either didn't know how to swim or were too lazy.

"Sorry Sora," Roxas gave his brother a reassuring pat on the back, "The situation was a little too complicated for you."

"I think I could've handled it!" Claimed the soaking brunet.

"Whatever, let's just get a move on. The faster we get out of this place, the better." Hayner muttered. After walking through another set of stairs, the teens were given a new challenge. The flames that lit the path turned green, giving them a hint that the next gem they had to retrieve would have to be of the same colour.

"Green. Life. Earth. Growth. Healing. To advance, climb the tree and retrieve the gem." Read Olette. A normal sized oak tree was placed in the center of the large room along with the brightly coloured gem in the center about 25 feet below them. Four platforms rose to the surface again.

"It looks so... innocent." Commented Kairi.

"We should take precautions anyway and not underestimate the tree. Remember what happened last time?" Once again, Roxas narrowed his eyes at his best friend.

"Let it go!" Whined Axel.

"I can't! If you hadn't sexually harassed that tree we wouldn't even be here in the first pla-"

"Shut up!" Screamed Hayner, "Instead of arguing, maybe we should get a move on!" The gamer stepped on one of the platforms while rubbing his temples, "Look, when I was a kid, I was a whiz at climbing trees. I'll volunteer for this one."

"Selphie was amazing at climbing trees when we were kids!" Said Kairi excitedly, "She can finish this for us no problem!"

"What?" She squeaked, "Kairi, I can't even finish a lap around the oval at school. What gives you the idea that I can-" Without warning, Kairi pushed her onto the platform. The four volunteers from the water challenge were still beat, so that ruled them out.

"I think Olette should go." Riku suggested strategically, "As you said, we shouldn't underestimate the tree. Anything could pop up, so we need someone who can attack from a distance and attack up close while Hayner and Selphie climb the tree. Since Olette's got the bow and arrows, she'd be pretty useful." That ruled out Axel as well who, first of all, had a sprained ankle and attacked from a distance as well. Riku was blind. That only left Namine (armed with... well, nothing but a shield), but of course, her protective boyfriend would never agree to it.

"Unless..." Everyone narrowed their eyes at Terra, Ventus, Aqua and Pence.

Ventus groaned and dragged his keyblade across the rocky terrain, "I'll do it."

He stepped on the platform with Olette. The forcefield immediately kicked in. The four were led down and spread around the tree as the same male voice began counting down from ten. When it reached one, the ground beneath them crumbled and revealed a dark chasm below. The only thing holding the four up were their platforms. The once innocent tree dramatically increased in size, the branches now reaching the ceiling about 50 feet above them. Large free floating rocks were their only way of transportation to the tree, but if one were to miss, well... bye bye.

While Ventus kept his confident, ready-for-battle composure, Olette, Hayner and Selphie were just about ready to commit suicide. Even through the forcefield Kairi could hear her best friend's fearful screams and cries.

Ven yelled something incoherent to the team, but Hayner and Selphie didn't quite catch it through all the crumbling.

"He said there's something going on at the top of the tree!" Clarified Olette.

At the very top of the tree where the gem lay, a woman with ivory skin, bright green eyes, silky pale green hair and an overall pale complexion appeared dressed in elaborate green and brown attire. As she fell towards them, they noticed how bright she was and concluded that she must have been glowing. She was strikingly beautiful, but definitely wasn't human. She looked like some fairy-tale creature without wings. The four were awestruck at her beauty but came to their senses when she began going after them one by one.

And she was _fast_. Leaping from rock to rock and branch to branch seemed so effortless for her whereas the mere mortals hadn't moved an inch.

"Selphie, Hayner!" Called Olette, "We'll take care of her! Get on the tree!" The archer took a shot at the woman but missed. Ventus had more luck as he leapt from a nearby rock and slashed her across the back. She hissed but smirked once the wound repaired itself in a mere five seconds.

"Healing. Of course." Mumbled Ventus. "I'll keep her distracted for now! Go help Selphie and Hayner!"

As the blond began hacking away at the woman, Olette turned her sights to Selphie and Hayner who had yet to move from their platforms. Olette took action and leapt onto a rock closer to the tree, balancing herself. She unwound the sturdy rope slung across her shoulders and tied a knot around one of her arrows. She took a chance and shot at one of the sturdiest looking branches and was rewarded with a solid stick. Olette took a deep breath and willed herself to take a step back and swing forward in Selphie's direction while hanging onto the rope for dear life. Since both girls were fairly light, the rope was able to withstand their weight. After Olette had gotten Selphie to the edge of the tree safely, she looked at Hayner worriedly. He was slightly heavier and she wasn't sure whether the rope could take them both. He merely shook his head and mouthed to her that he would be okay.

"I'll take care of him." Came Selphie's shaky but solid voice. After biting her lip, Olette trusted her and went to help Ventus. After dodging a few of his swift attacks, the woman brought out what looked like a whip with a sharp metal arrowhead at the end.

"Ooh," Axel smirked, "That's really sexy." Both Xion and Roxas whacked him across the head.

Ventus' right cheek was slashed and was about to receive a matching cut on the other but Olette managed to stick an arrow in the woman's shoulder. Hayner cautiously jumped from rock to rock successfully until he was one away from the edge of the tree. Well, he may not have been athletic, but he had guts. He took one confident jump and made it to the edge of the land until his weight caused the ground beneath him to crumble. But before he fell, Selphie caught his arm and hauled him up.

Then something happened.

It was just for a second, but it happened. A moment flashed into both their heads. The same moment. Their first impressions of each other on day one. He was a complete slob, and she was the typical girly girl. They were ill-suited for each other, but there she was with her hand outstretched to save his life. There he was clasping her hand tightly. There they were as what they thought would be impossible: friends.

"Thanks." He said while dusting his shirt.

"No problem." Selphie replied with a wink. She began climbing the oversized tree with the aid of her sharp sickle and Hayner in tow. In about five minutes they were able to reach the top with Hayner arriving first. Just as he was about to grasp the gem, the woman appeared in front of him as if she had tele-ported there. Shooting her with his paint-ball gun clearly wasn't an option, so he went with the warrior's approach.

"THIS. IS. SPARTA!" He cried, kicking her off the tree without warning. She fell into the chasm below but managed to get a grip of Ventus before doing so. The two fell into the chasm below with Aqua screaming her head off and banging against the forcefield. The rest spent their time in a heartbreaking silence. It was as if everything was happening in slow motion.

Hayner reacted quickly and ripped the gem off it's podium with a battle cry. Everything quickly began to return to its original state. The tree shrunk, the rocks were glued back together, the barrier wore off and Ventus came springing up from the ground unconscious. Everyone immediately ran down the staircase on the side and surrounded him but Aqua was the first to check his heartbeat.

"He's alive." Came her relieved verdict. They all sighed in relief. Hayner walked over to the empty podium nearby the tunnel and placed the green gem securely in place. They all began walking through newly opened tunnel with Ventus carried safely on Terra's back in silence.

* * *

"Red. Red is hot. Symbolizes fire, intensity, energy and travels the furthest. Retrieve the gem to advance, and remember to watch your step."

"Finally, my time to shine!" Cheered Axel haughtily. When three platforms rose, he didn't hesitate to step on the one in the middle even if walking on his sprained ankle was excrutiatingly painful. Terra left Ven to Aqua and stepped on the circle on the pyromaniac's right. That left Sora and Roxas to vie for the position.

"I'm his best friend." Said Roxas quickly.

"W-well I think I deserve this chance after you left me clueless at the first challenge!" Argued Sora.

"Here's what I propose," Kairi walked in between them and pushed them apart as a miniature lightning bolt formed in between their glares, "Rock paper scissors?" After a few more seconds of glaring, the Hikari's huffed and shook hands on it.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" They chanted in determination.

"What the hell is that?" Roxas spat.

Sora began making waves with his hands, "A snake. Snake beats paper. I win."

"I don't hear the word snake in rock, paper, scissors." He sneered.

"It's _silent_."

"It's _retarded_-"

"GUYS." Kairi yelled authoritatively. The twins straightened up and tried again. Roxas won.

"Best two out of three." Sora suggested.

"Nope. Sorry brah." Roxas gave him an evil smirk before taking the spot next to Axel.

Once again, the challenge looked so innocent. So easy. A podium housing the red gem was about twenty-five meters away from them. Ancient pillars about 10 feet tall surrounded both sides with fading Pulsian letters engraved on them. It wasn't until after the countdown that the group found out just how deadly the challenge actually was. When Roxas took a reckless step forward, fire suddenly spewed upward about a meter to his right like a geyser.

When it singed a strand of the younger Hikari's golden locks, the colour drained from his face, "Oh _hell no_."

Terra pressed his ear against the rock-hard terrain and listened. He could hear rumbling about 5 meters north. After five seconds, a fire geyser spewed from his estimated position. "We have a five-second warning before every geyser. Get as far away from the rumbling as you can once you hear it."

"Sounds easy enough." Said Axel cockily. As if the atmosphere felt offended by Axel's statement, it sent a fireball about the size of a basketball whizzing past him. It was just enough to set his pauldron on fire, which, of course, he didn't panic about. He just shrugged it off. Literally.

"They really weren't kidding about watching your step huh?" Gulped Roxas. More rumbling followed by a fire geyser answered his question. He stiffened and turned around to face a very worried looking Namine. He suddenly longed for her touch. It could very well be their very last. He ran to her and placed his hand on the forcefield. He could vaguely feel the warmth radiating from her hand as she placed it overtop his. Sora ruined the moment by violently knocking on the forcefield, sending transparent hexagons to appear all over the place. He merely gave him a look of neglect. Roxas rolled his eyes and blew his brother a kiss who pretended to catch it and sigh lovingly.

"On three." Demanded Terra, "One. Two. Three!"

The trio immediately sprinted in different directions toward the podium dodging geysers and fireballs on their way. In synchronization, Roxas and Terra heard rumbling below them and ran up a pillar then sommersaulted backward onto their feet to dodge the fire that sprouted beneath them. Axel, who made a beeline towards the gem in the center, was surrounded by small creatures wreathed in flame that spawned from the fireballs that landed. The more the fireballs landed, the more creatures came, and less oxygen for the boys. Their usable air was confined in the not-so-large forcefield.

"We need to finish this. Fast." Panted Axel. To further prove this point, Roxas threw up in the corner and gasped for air.

Terra covered his mouth with his sleeve and began casting spells to calm the environment. His water and ice did little to stop the blazing fire, but it did shrink it just a bit. Roxas, although on his knees, tried to do the same. "Go." He commanded Axel. "Go!"

The redhead complied after throwing his chakrams one more time in a boomerang-like fashion to destroy more flaming creatures. Seeing that he was of the same element, it had very little effect on them. But on the bright side, Axel was more suited to survive fire than his companions, so he limped towards the gem as fast as his good and bandaged leg could take him. About a minute later he found himself on his knees, crawling towards the rocky podium about a foot away now with Roxas' help from behind. With all the strength he could muster, he gripped the edge of the podium, lifted himself up and clasped his sweaty hand tightly around the red gem. The fire was extinguished. The forcefield wore off. Oxygen rushed back into their lungs. The trio felt alive again.

"Roxas!" Cried Namine, running to his fallen form with arms outstretched. She placed his head on her lap and stroked his blackened cheek. After offering him some water, he pulled her face down for a lively kiss.

"Are you guys okay?" Asked Sora, distributing water bottles to Axel and Terra. They gulped it down within seconds.

"I don't know about you guys, but it's a little hot in here. Just a little." Joked the panting pyromaniac. Everyone let out a chuckle.

* * *

"Orange. Answer the meaning of orange to advance."

"No challenge? Just a question this time?" Asked Sora suspiciously.

"Guess so." Axel admitted with a shrug as a singular platform rose from the ground in front of the podium, "So how about it, Olette? Care to tell us the meaning of orange?"

"Well," The brunet began twiddling her thumbs, "Up to this point, I can guess that every meaning the text has given us about the colours of the gems corresponds to the meaning of colours used in art. Even if I do wear the colour a lot, I'm not much of an artist myself, so I really wouldn't know how to answer this question."

"Well that's perfect." Roxas proudly presented his girlfriend before the platform, "Namine's an artist. She can help us."

The blonde began to object, "R-Roxas-" He kissed her softly before reassuring her that she would do fine. Shocked by the sudden kiss, Namine stumbled backward and ended up on the platform that instantly carried her to the podium. After the voice counted down from ten, Namine answered the question with ease, "Change."

As a pathway opened before them, everyone let out a cheer.

"Way to go, Nams!" Bounced Sora gleefully, tackling her from behind, "How'd you know that?"

"O-orange is frequently used to represent the change from summer to fall." She nervously informed. She had no problem with Sora hugging her, but their close proximity was starting to get too much to handle.

"All right bro, lay off the girlfriend." Lightly, Roxas shoved his brother off.

"Payback~." Sang Sora. After walking down another flight of stairs, the group decided that it was time for a well-deserved break. They needed at least a few minutes to recharge, reload and regain their strength if the challenges were going to get even harder from where they were.

"Whoa," Gaped Hayner at their resting place. There was no explanation as to how a place like that could've existed so far beneath the surface. In front of them was a very spacious area covered in fresh grass, glowing flowers and insects of various colours, curvy yet healthy trees and even had a small waterfall in the corner that flowed into a small river that divided the land in half. Above them was a large hole punctured in the center so deep that it allowed moonlight from the surface to seep through and provided a view of the stars. A more elaborate podium made of marble rested in the center with a purple gem taunting them.

Although it was set for the next challenge, the group plopped down wherever they wanted and refrained from stepping on the six glowing platforms surrounding the podiums. The beauty would be nice while it lasted. If anything, the trees and flowers would probably eat them alive when the challenge started.

"You know, I can't believe we never thought of this." Hayner bravely walked up to the podium and tried to get his hands on the gem. There was an invisible force that sent him flying back five meters and into the river.

Roxas stifled his laughter and went to retrieve the flailing gamer, "And that's why we never thought of it."

Five minutes later, the fourteen found themselves relaxing, eating and telling jokes with one another around a bonfire that Axel managed to start while Kairi cleaned her shoes by the river not to far from them. Just as she was about to splash her face with the crystal clear water, someone placed something behind her right ear and hugged her from behind. She could feel his steady breaths against her ear and heartbeat against her back.

Kairi grinned and spun herself around to face him, "Hello, Sora." He gazed at her as if he could be happy doing just that forever. She led him to sit down with his legs outstretched so that she could sit on his lap.

"You look lovely." He said, admiring the way the moon and the glowing flower he placed behind her ear reflected off her face. Kairi smiled in thanks and slowly began plucking the petals off the purple flower. When she got to the last one, he stopped her and pulled it off himself.

"He loves you." He whispered. "A lot."

Without further ado, she closed the gap between their lips in a sweet kiss. They weren't sure if they imagined it, but they were almost certain they heard Roxas groaning in the corner. Sora pulled away with a laugh and planted a kiss on her neck instead. The expression his girlfriend's face was far from the happy look he was expecting when he pulled away.

"What's wrong?" He asked, taking one of her hands in his.

She sighed and placed her free hand on his chest, "Today... right here, right now... you're inches away from me. In a week, you'll be miles away from my reach."

"I thought we went over th-"

"We did, but it still hurts thinking about it."

"Then _don't_ think about it." Countered Sora. "You make it seem like these last few days are the last we're ever going to spend together. It's only a few months of separation, Kairi. We only have one year of high school left, and it's just a few months. A few more months until forever. Together. Everyday. Because if I wasn't mistaken, we applied for the same university."

Kairi raised a brow, "And if one gets in and the other doesn't?"

Sora faked offense, "Are you implying something?" After rolling her eyes, Sora pulled her into a comforting embrace, "If we end up in different schools, then that's what fate wants. If fate wants us together again someday, then she'll converge our paths again, just like she did now. And if she doesn't, I'll give her the biggest nipple twist ever until she decides to keep us together forever."

His girlfriend blinked twice, "You're so weird."

"Thanks. That's what I always like to hear after I pour my heart out." Came the sarcastic remark.

"You wanted to give fate a nipple twist-"

"You know what I mean!"

"No, I don't, so why don't you explain it to me?"

Sora rubbed his temples and sighed, "It means I'll do whatever it takes to make this last."

He was a rewarded with a quick peck on the lips along with a thankful grin, "See, now did that require any nipple twisting?"

Sora smirked and moved his hand near her chest, "Only if you'll let me."

Kairi's pounce and smack was almost immediate, "You're disgusting."

"Mm, but you love me." Claimed Sora as he leaned upward for another kiss. Just to smite him, Kairi rolled off to the side to lay down beside him instead. He huffed in disappointment but was silenced when he felt Kairi's warm, soft hand intertwine with his. They lay side by side with their hands connected on the soft grass, gazing at each other lovingly.

"Sora," Whispered Kairi.

"Hm?" He responded with closed eyes. She had never noticed before, but Sora had extremely long eyelashes. She was suddenly jealous at the fact that he didn't need mascara to make them look so defined and long.

"When did you realize that you were in love with me?"

He opened his eyes after letting out a small chuckle, "Probably when I first saw you play COD. I was a complete goner."

"Because a girl that can click buttons to perform a perfect no-scope longshot is so sexy." Said Kairi sarcastically.

"It is, actually." Laughed Sora, "But that's not when I realized my love for you."

"Then when? Where? Why?" He could tell she was eager by the tightening grip on his hand.

"If you quit cutting off my circulation, I'll tell you." Kairi apologized and lessened her grip. "Hm, let's see... you wanted a specific moment?"

"Yes, that is correct." She clarified.

"Huh, see, that's the problem. I find myself falling in love with you more and more each day, so..."

"That's rather cheesy." Kairi chortled.

His eyes hardened, "You wanted the truth, didn't you?"

"I wanted a specific moment in time. When did you realize that, out of all the possible girls you could've had, that I was the one for you? What made me so special at that very moment?"

"Hm..." Sora thought long and hard until his brother disrupted their kodak moment.

"All right lovebirds, get up, get up! It's time to get out of this stupid cave!" He sung with verve while hauling them onto their feet.

"Wait, wait," Demanded a chuckling Axel as he approached Kairi, "I need to try something on her."

Sora's eyes went wide as he took her in his arms protectively, "What are you going to do?"

"Calm your balls, Hikari. I just need to test a theory. So, Kairi, 1+5?"

"Six...?" She replied cautiously.

"2+4?"

"Six...?"

"3+3?"

"Six."

"4+2?"

"Six."

"5+1?"

"Six!"

"Now say six ten times. Fast."

"Wh-"

"Just do it."

The female redhead began counting her fingers, "Six six six six six six six six six six."

"Good, now give me a vegetable."

"Uh..." She wracked her brain for a quick response, "A carrot?"

Axel turned to Roxas and gave him an all-knowing smirk, "I told you." The best friend just rolled his eyes.

"What was the point in that?" Scoffed Sora.

"Axel believes that all girls respond to the vegetable question with carrots. He thinks it's... sexually related." Ventus explained uncomfortably.

"Worked on Selphie, Aqua, Xion and even innocent little Namine. My case is closed, gentlemen." Axel pounded on his chest to signify victory, "Now let's do this thing!"

"Six platforms," Roxas cracked his knuckles as they surrounded said number of platforms that formed a circle around the podium, "Seems intense. Shall we, Olette?"

She gave him a brief nod before kneeling to read the text, "Purple. A grown-up pink. Femininity. Good judgement. Obtain the gem to advance."

"Bring it on then!" Challenged a well-rested Ventus. One step towards the platform sent him tumbling backward and onto his butt. "Hey, what's the deal?"

Terra outstretched a hand towards a platform but pulled it back when he felt a shock up his arm, "I can't get on either." Sora tried slashing it with his keyblade only to have it fly back a few feet. Xion took a step forward and got on just fine. Olette did the same.

It was then that Namine noticed a relation between the genders and the platforms, "Six platforms, six girls. It appears that only girls are allowed to do this challenge."

"Well get on that Roxas." Said Hayner while slapping his back. The blond flipped him the inappropriate finger.

Ten seconds later, Kairi, Namine, Selphie, Xion, Olette and Aqua found themselves standing in a circle with the gem a mere foot away from their grasp.

"Hey," Called Sora from behind Kairi's platform, "Take care of yourself."

"Will do." She promised. Almost every girl's boyfriend went to give them comforting words of advice while Selphie stood on her platform impatiently. It was when she cleared her throat loudly that the countdown began. The boys backed up as the forcefield separated them from their women.

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

Before the girls could even outstretch their hands towards the object, oversized roots and stems sprouted from the ground and wrapped around their small bodies. The once beautiful glowing plantlife turned into vicious creatures of nature.

Aqua was the first to escape with a fire spell that released both her and Kairi. Just as they were about to take the gem, even larger roots grew from the ground. Flower petals became shurikens. The boys were going mad by this point.

Namine was struggling like crazy. A stem was starting to wrap around her neck until a freed Xion diced the root holding the blonde captive. They all managed to escape but each had a sharp, piercing root trailing behind them and petals targeting their vital points. Deflecting was fairly easy, but running on branches was getting harder and harder for poor Namine. The girls tried their hardest to keep her safety in mind as well as their own.

"Oh shitake mushrooms." Cursed Selphie. A few feet above them was a woman with pale lavender skin, white skin and silk clothing orchestrating the entire attack. She seemed to be getting bored and decided to join the battle herself. She aimed her spells at Selphie first. Only Aqua had the confidence to take her on. She was just as swift and agile with her attacks and magic.

Olette tried to help as well until she was swallowed by what seemed like a giant man-eating flower. She was freed seconds later by Namine who desperately began hacking away at the stem with Roxas' keyblade. Surely magic would somehow cause Olette harm. When the brunette was released, she was covered in what looked like slime. The slime appeared to have an effect on its victims since Olette's evergreen eyes slowly began to turn blood red as the unknown substance diffused into her bloodstream. Once the transformation was complete, Olette loaded her bow and aimed the arrow straight at the frightened blonde. Namine could feel her knees weakening and vision blurring very quickly.

"Namine!" Roxas cried helplessly, banging on the force separating them, "NAMINE!"

"Namine," Came Selphie's more reassuring voice as she held her, "Shh, shh, calm down. Hang in there!" As Namine voluntarily gasped for air, Selphie disarmed Olette and wrapped the chains of her sickle around her, trapping her arms in place. "Sorry 'lette!"

The ground suddenly began to shake even more violently and the woman disappeared in a pile of pixie dust. The shaking ground stopped for a split second before all hell broke loose. Larger, unblock-able branches and stems sprouted from the ground, sending each girl flying back a couple of meters. Selphie and Namine, being the lightest of the group, managed to make it as far as the river. Selphie's head rose to the surface seconds later and aided Namine's limp, shaking body onto the grass nearby. Sedating her now was definitely out of the question. And in the middle of battle? Not likely. And Roxas was the only one with the syringe. She would just have to outlast the challenge as best as she could.

_This is bad._ Thought a panicky Xion. She hopelessly stared at the vicious plant-life ready to devour her if she took one step towards the podium a whooping forty feet away. _This is really bad_.

A phone call distracted her from the negative thoughts. She fumbled through her pockets and saw _Riku_ on the caller ID. She looked past the forcefield and could faintly see her blindfolded boyfriend with a phone pressed to his ear. "Uh, hello?"

"Drain the water." He demanded.

"What?"

"Drain. The. Water." Came the annunciated repeat. "Water is essential for the growth of plants. If you drain their main source, they'll weaken. It's the best chance you've got."

"But, I... Riku, how did you even know there was a river?"

She blushed at his seductive chuckle from the other line, "I have ears. Now go." When he hung up, the boys mentally slapped their foreheads.

"Of course, drain the water." Ventus chuckled, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Sometimes being blind helps you analyze the situation in different terms." Responded a smirking Riku.

Back in the forcefield, Xion managed to group together with Aqua and Kairi who were both equipped with keyblades.

"Perfect. Riku says we need to drain the water to weaken the plants. Even if we can't drain all the water here completely, we can start with the river and weaken them." Explained Xion.

"That's brilliant, but..." Kairi waved around her flowery hunk of metal, "Will these be enough?"

"We'll just have to use up all the magic." Sighed Aqua. "I'll use both Namine's keyblade and my own to quicken the pace. Let's go." With Namine under Selphie's care and a possessed Olette strangling around in chains, only Xion, Kairi and Aqua could drain the water with vigorous firaga spells. Although the spell was rather strong, their magic bar was decreasing drastically.

Fortunately for them, so was the river. In no time, the river was drained and the girls still had a couple of spells to spare.

Riku was right.

The branches and stems were wilting and the purple-coloured woman who had re-appeared after the attack was gasping for air on her knees. Without further discussion, the trio sprinted the forty foot distance and found that dodging the attacks was much easier given that they were slower. Unfortunately, Xion tripped on a small branch a mere fifteen feet from the podium. Kairi was ahead of her by a few feet but suddenly found herself torn between two options.

One, retrieve the gem and get the challenge over with. Aqua was too occupied with the purple woman to get it herself.

Or two, get in the way of the piercing branch that could potentially be Xion's deathblow.

She opted for the second option.

Kairi bravely ran toward Xion and shoved them both to the left only to have the branch miss her heart but slice her arm instead. She let out not a cry but a whimper of pain instead. Xion didn't question her actions but did take her by the hand and guided her to the podium where they both took the gem by the hand, deactivating the beautifully misleading deathtrap.

The instant the invisible force wore off, the boys went running towards their women. Hayner held the thrashing Olette in his arms until her eyes turned their natural green again. Roxas kissed Namine before sedating her. The remaining boys went to aid the injured Kairi and congratulate Xion and Aqua.

Sora winced at the sight of his girlfriend's arm, "It's not too deep, but we should bandage it now and get it checked out when we get out of here."

"_If_ we get out of here." Whimpered a teary Kairi.

He quickly kissed her forehead and held her hand tightly in his, "I'll see to it that you will. That we all will. I'll protect you."

"Sora," Came Xion's soft voice from behind Riku's embrace, "May I?" He looked into Kairi's eyes and was granted permission.

Xion brought the redhead up to her feet and took her to the river that had returned to cleanse her wound. It wasn't an awkward silence that came between them, but a comfortable one. As Kairi's legs dangled in the cool water, Xion treated her injury. But even Xion's gentle touch couldn't stop Kairi's winces of pain.

"Why did you do it?" Suddenly asked Xion. She searched Roxas' medical kit until she got her hands on a cloth bandage.

"I, uh..." Kairi stiffened as the raven-haired girl began tightening the bandage around her arm. "I don't know. It was impulse. I... I just did it."

Xion could tell Kairi didn't want to go through all the emotional stress of having to say that whatever bad blood they shared in the past was finally overlooked. But the implication was still there on her face, so she smiled. That was enough. "Well, thank you."

"Y-you're welcome." Mumbled Kairi.

When Xion finished tying the bandage in place, she gave Kairi a look, "You know, you used to make me think that life was unfair."

Kairi let out a half-hearted chuckle, "That should be my line." Xion let out a laugh too. "But you know," Said Kairi after a brief respite, "If life was fair, we wouldn't have learned anything, would we?"

"Huh," Her eyes landed on their boyfriends having a casual conversation. She had never thought of it that way before. "I guess you're right."

* * *

"Black. The colour associated with darkness, evil and mystery. Retrieve the black gem to advance."

"Seven platforms, eight boys. Who wants out?" Asked Sora. Pence immediately backed out. "Alrighty gentlemen. Let's do this."

Past the point of the seven platforms was pitch black. The challenge was clear. Combat in the dark. Finally, something Riku could participate in regardless of his condition. Once the boys grew out of the girls' vision, the countdown began and the forcefield took its place.

"How are we going to do this?" Growled Hayner, "I can't see shit!" Not even the faint glow of the platforms was enough of a light source.

"Speak for yourself." Countered the calm, cool and collected Riku.

"We'll just have to count on our senses." Roxas suggested bravely. "Just stay calm and don't let fear overtake you."

When the countdown was over, the sun-kissed blond could faintly hear a mysterious voice hiss something incoherent. After it was repeated, his entire body froze. The hiss became crystal clear.

_"Roxas."_

From where the girls were, they heard a girlish scream come from afar. They all took guesses as to who it might be but an awakened Namine flinched in the corner.

"Roxas, Roxas!" Yelled Axel. To get his BFFL's attention, he slapped him across the face, "Get a hold of yourself man! You're giving whatever's out there our position!" To further prove this, something grabbed Axel's leg and dragged him away. Ventus was able to make out a sinister flicker in the enemy's yellow eyes.

"Axel!" Screamed Sora foolishly, "AX-"

"You idiot!" Growled Riku as he clasped a hand over the brunet's mouth, "Didn't you hear what he just said? Keep quiet!"

The pyromaniac's yelps and cries for help were heard from the distance until a flicker of fire from his chakrams gave away his position and revealed their enemy.

Ventus gulped, "Zombies."

"Aim for the head." Advised a try-hard Hayner. He took a confident shot at the zombie that had Axel in a headlock and nailed a bullet through the head. "Aw baby! Headshot +50!"

Roxas sweatdropped, "Since when do we live in a world where zombies die from a paintball to the head? That's like the ultimate kick in the balls to the ray gun, the thunder gun, and BlackOps itself."

"Shh, shh." Demanded Riku. As the wails of the zombie near Axel died down, more hisses and growls came from all sides. "Do you hear that?"

_"Sora."_

_"Roxas."_

_"Riku"_

_"Hayner."_

_"Axel."_

_"Terra."_

_"Ventus."_

The boys' screams were loud enough to penetrate through the forcefield and blow the girls' flowing hair back. They had no idea what to make of the screaming coming from the other side.

"Is it wrong that I'm thinking dirty?" Asked a snickering Selphie.

Kairi stared daggers at her, "Yes. Yes, it is."

Inside, countless zombies threw and latched themselves onto the boys' bodies, craving their human flesh. They came in merciless never-ending waves, spawning out of nowhere.

"This was a lot easier when all I had to do was press a button to kill these mofos!" Screamed Hayner who shot another zombie down. Due to exhaustion, he fell onto his back where Roxas had to slap some sense into him.

_Reviving... reviving..._

"This is pointless," Muttered Riku after sensing attack on his right. He slashed the monster with his keyblade and slumped his shoulders while breathing heavily, "We have to find the gem. We need to find a way to illuminate the entire place."

Sora's heart stopped as he felt the ground beneath him crumble. It crumbled every few seconds. They were footsteps. Very heavy footsteps. When he looked upward, what he feared was certainly there. "I don't think we need to do that, Riku."

The creature of the night growled, its body made of darkness and its eyes a menacing yellow. Around its neck was the gem secured by a large chain necklace. Sora had faced something similar in Hunger Royale, but unfortunately, he never had the courage to defeat it and ended up smashing himself into a mirror.

_Well, it's time to change that._ The brunet removed the rope he had secured across his chest and began unravelling it. "Roxas!" He bellowed, tossing the other end of the excruciatingly long rope to his brother, "Airplanes!"

At first his twin was confused until an image of younger versions of themselves jogged his memory. When he and Sora were very young, they would pretend they were airplanes soaring high above the sky by stretching their arms out wide and running around in circles. They were so used to it. So entertained. Now he knew what Sora was getting it.

With his left hand gripping the rope and his right with a weapon, he began running circles around the giant creature and warding off zombies with his outstretched hand that held the keyblade. He passed his brother doing the exact same thing a couple of times though in a counterclockwise fashion.

Catching on to what the twins were doing, Hayner called Axel and gestured at his eyes. The pyromaniac nodded and aimed his chakrams at the oversized creature's bright yellow orbs to remove its ability to see. Riku followed with dark auras just in case. When the twins were finished, they released the rope and watched as the dark creature began to trip over its own feet. It may have been large, but brute strength and size were probably its only strong points.

As it began to lean forward, Ventus and Terra skillfully leapt upward to its head using its own body parts and sliced off its head and arms. It fell to the ground with a loud _**thud**_. Hayner approached it and pulled the gem straight off the chains, causing the zombies to disappear into thin air. The instant the forcefield wore off, the entire place was illuminated with torches on the walls.

"Whoa," Selphie eyed their ripped attire suggestively, "I knew you were getting dirty in there."

"Augh," Hayner began rubbing his temples, "Unwanted mental image."

Sora yawned and asked what time it was. Pence responded with one in the morning. They'd been fighting the cave for nearly three hours. "Wow. We need to get out of here."

"Thanks Captain Obvious." Hayner passed Sora with a scoff and placed the black gem on a podium that opened two large and elaborate doors made of adamantite in front of them. Inside was quite a sight to see.

It was a city. A long-forgotten ancient city. An antique city in ruins lit only by the crystals on the rocks.

If they knew it wasn't so sinister they might have actually liked it and took pictures.

But it was, so they didn't.

There was only one podium in front of them. One large podium that read only a few words in Pulsian on the frame.

"Retrieve the gem." Was all Olette read. Fourteen platforms rose to the surface. A white gem reflecting many colours was located far from their reach and could only be reached by climbing the two staircases leading up to it. It appeared to be simple. Just walk straight ahead, turn right or left, walk up the stairs, and take the gem. But the cave hasn't been that generous as of late.

"This is it, isn't it?" Gulped Roxas. He could feel his hands start to sweat. "This is the final round? The gem there is the Memoria stone?"

When Sora found his voice again, he replied with, "I believe so, little brother."

Women and men began to appear in front of the platforms, all armed with weapons. Some they recognized. The woman with ivory skin from the green gem challenge. The purple woman with the vicious plants. The remaining six were either men or women (both immortal) with light skin that matched a certain gem colour. The woman in the center was pure white and matched the gem they wanted oh so badly. Although her colour was pure, her expression was ominous. All were armed. All had a specialty. All were poised to attack.

Without further discussion, the fourteen linked their hands together and simultaneously stepped on the platforms, initiating the countdown. _10, 9, 8, 7, 6..._

"Five." Sora counted.

"Four." They all counted.

_"Three."_

_"Two."_

_"One."_

* * *

Fourteen worn-out teens sat in a semi-circle around a white gem on the floor, too exhausted to make a move or say a word. Once the gem was obtained they were taken into another chamber through white doors. Unlike the rocky terrain the cave had been providing, this room was made of... well, heaven.

The tiles were a squeaky clean white so clean that one's reflection would be as clear as day. Pillars made of stone formed a circle around a single glowing podium in the center. On the ceiling lay a grand, golden chandelier with crystals. The walls had moving clouds as if they were so high up in the sky. A sky painted with dusk pinks, oranges and purples.

Its grandeur made half of them think they were dead.

Sora snapped out of it minutes later and took the white gem in his hands. He waddled towards the podium and pushed the gem in place. A bright light shone for a brief moment, causing them to shield their eyes, but disappeared seconds later. Although their terrible appearance had not changed, the teens let out a sigh of relief.

Hayner's voice echoed throughout the room, "So that's it? Bye bye misfortune?"

Even Riku couldn't believe it, "I... I guess so..."

"So how's this gonna work? Is my car all brand new and shiny gonna spawn out of thin air or something?" Roxas asked hopefully.

When he received no response, Aqua just began clapping in the corner. She clapped, and clapped, and clapped even louder. Ven, Pence and Terra joined not long after. The ten just looked at them as if they were crazy because, given the challenge they just went through, it was highly possible.

"You guys did _great_!" Aqua squealed.

Terra smiled proudly, "Agreed. Very well done."

"What the heck is going on?" Selphie asked with an impatient hand on her hip.

"Don't you see? This whole curse thing was a set-up from the beginning." Pence chortled. "We got you so paranoid about the bad luck thing hoping that you'd come to this cave and work together as a team to retrieve the non-existent Memoria stone."

"_What_?" Sora yelled angrily in realization. "So you broke my motorcycle just to make us work together?"

"_And_ painted my car?" Growled Roxas.

"_And_ drowned my cell phone?" Squeaked Kairi. Many complaints followed after that.

"You broke my ankle? !"

"You ruined my sketchbook?"

"You used up all my cards?"

"YOU DESTROYED MY PLAYSTATION? YOU FAGDOUCHE-"

"You blinded me?"

"You broke my guitar!"

"Guys, guys, calm down," Aqua pleaded with hand gestures, "Roxas, the car we painted was a decoy. We have your real car. The same goes for Sora's motorcycle, Hayner's PlayStation, Kairi's phone, Selphie's cards, Namine's sketchbook and Roxas' guitar. We also made a decoy of Pence's camera and dropped it so that you wouldn't get suspicious, haha. Brilliant, no?"

"No! My ankle is still broken!" Whined Axel.

Ventus scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, sorry about that. Complete accident. Wasn't part of the plan. We were going to steal your hair gel and lighters or something."

Axel twitched, "I'm good with the sprained ankle."

"And I'm sorry about your eyes, Riku. That really wasn't part of the plan." Apologized Aqua sincerely. Riku just nodded.

"So let me get this straight," Hayner cleared his throat and pointed a finger at Aqua accusingly, "You hired some random ass tour guide to lie to us about some retarded curse, tricked us into thinking we were actually cursed by supposedly destroying our valuables and scaring the shit out of us, made us go through some _Amazing Race_ filled with deathtraps, almost got us killed by said deathtraps and all we get is-" He changed his voice pitch and expression to show his annoyance, "-_teamwork_?"

Pence nodded, "Precisely."

The boys had to hold Hayner back after that.

"You do realize that if we weren't as badass as we were today, we could have been killed in this cave?" Asked Axel.

"That's impossible." Terra answered almost immediately, "This cave was built exactly like the Leadenstrike race. Real pain, but not actually real. If you were to even come close to death the challenge would have shut off immediately."

"So you had Solice build this solely for our benefit?" Xion asked.

"False." Said Pence. "He's actually had this cave planned for awhile now. You were sort of... guinea pigs for his experiment. Seemed successful to me!"

"You used us as _lab rats_?" Sora didn't even try to mask his disgust, "So you're going to lie to other people about this curse, too?"

"It all comes down to business and money, Sora. Get used to it." Chuckled Ven. He dodged the keyblade thrown in his direction.

"On the bright side, look at how far you've all come." Aqua clasped her hands together with teary eyes, "I'm very proud of all of you."

After the awkward silence, Hayner sighed, "Well I suppose there's no reason for getting angry now, is there? Nothing lost?"

"But something gained." And this time, it was Riku who started the infamous line, "After all, ohana means family."

"And family means nobody gets left behind." They all finished. "Or forgotten."

* * *

A burning warehouse.

Scarred, dirty arms.

Lips twisted into a sick smirk.

Moon reflecting off black water.

A silhouette of a boy in the fire whose spiky hair could unmistakably belong only to Sora.

Then the sound of a cannon. A cannon like the ones she heard in Hunger Royale, signifying someone's death. A cannon blast, then everything went black.

"Kairi, Kairi!" Came the urgent whispers of a familiar voice. After jerking from side to side, Kairi's bloodshot eyes flickered open and locked with her boyfriend's reassuring blue ones. Her shaking hands found their way to his face lit by moonlight. He was here. With her. In his room. Alive. Safe. Alive and safe. "You started screaming and thrashing all of a sudden. It scared me. I think you were having a nightmare."

"I..." She panted heavily. Soon hot tears began streaming her face. The air grew cold. The nightmare was still fresh in her mind and coursing through her veins.

"Kairi," Sora caressed her cheek, "What's wrong?"

Her shaky hands went from his face onto his bare chest, "I-it's nothing. Let's just go back to sleep. S-sorry for waking you."

"Nonsense." He said as he enveloped her in his warmth. He pulled the covers over them and hugged her tightly. He began stroking her hair and humming to calm her down. After a few minutes, he drifted off to sleep before she did. In the silence, she could hear his relaxed heartbeat perfectly. She could hear her own beating twice as fast. That dream was going to keep her up all night, but she didn't want Sora to be sleep-deprived because of her. She'd just have to shake it out.

But unbeknownst to Kairi, the real misfortune was just about to begin.

* * *

**It's unbelievable. Truly, it's shocking to me. I started writing Teenage Wasteland when I was fourteen, and next week, I turn sixteen. _Sixteen_. Can you believe it? I have really grown with this story! Wow guys! Thank you to all those who have been supporting me from the very beginning! It means so much more to me than you think. I grew in more ways than one with this story with _your_ help. Wow guys. Just. Wow.**

**So anyway, I'm actually quite satisfied with the way this chapter came out. More action and creativity than the usual romance and the humor, although both must be present to be a Kyorii story lol. I guess that's what I get for re-reading The Hunger Games Trilogy. Man, I never get tired of those books. Except perhaps Mockingjay. I wasn't truly satisfied with the ending, but it was still epic. **

**There's not much to say about school and whatnot lately (except for the fact that Bio and Math are a pain in the bumbum), but there is a reason for the semi-early update. I wanted to update before the early celebration of my birthday on Saturday, the piles of homework before the holidays, and before my vacation. For my birthday my parents are taking me on a cruise, Hogwarts (I'm serious) and to see my favourite cousin, x-BaByKo-x. Who's hyped? I AM! Plus I wanted to update before the holidays, but who knows, I might surprise you with an update before I leave ;D **

**If not, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! When 2012 kicks in, I won't be freaking out about whether the world will end or not. I'll be counting down the days until The Hunger Games movie comes out! The world cannot end unless I see that movie. I'm watching it even if there's a hurricane or earthquake or whatever going on. *crazed fan* After all, I have survived all of those things ;)**

**So to end this author's note, I'll be thanking the wonderful people who reviewed the last chapter :)**

**Special Thanks to: **godson5518, LittleKeybladeNinja, StaySaneInsideInsanity, Orphinia, LC Li, Noobster, BookNNNerd1218, Jackson12 (by the way you sent me a pm message but I can't reply to it because you've disabled PM messaging from your account D:), anon, Pandamon, DreamStaton369, Aaralynne, Artism, flightlessraven, TwinToshiro, sunshinemeg82, Question, California Sandwich, acidic wrath, AsoenixKristian, Moon Princess016, Tyjet Ansatsu, asb227, ChuckleBunny, I love you Elena -DamonS, EternallySky, Q-A the Authoress, Dennou Writer, Hydro Dexter, Allied Forces, Zoe the Hunter, Dusk-Sky-please call me Emorii, Sozic, Crystallynne, Cherrycola12, DragoNik, NikolasSur, Spellbound aka soragirl4ever, Jared Someone, Lupus7, Mokimoki-chan, Meryq, Redeeming Endeavor, Roxas Luvs Cookies, aquarose band leader, waaaaay too lazy to log in (LOOL), beckster411, Riptide217, and Rytex

**I'm terribly sorry if I missed anyone, but I think I got everyone! Thanks again for reviewing. They are always appreciated. I also apologize for any grammar errors/ mistakes and I truly appreciate all your support! I'll see you all when I'm 16! :D**

- xoKyorii


	33. Sparks

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a**_s_**tel_a_n**d** . ©

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**A/N:** Has anyone else noticed that Katniss and Peeta of The Hunger Games have the worst celebrity names ever? KatPee? PeeNiss (LOL)? Now that's just sad.

And to all the Hunger Games fans out there, I have a little question. So lately I've been starting to write the first book in Peeta's perspective (which is a whole lot easier said that done, believe me), and it's _supposed_ to be a personal, unreleased mini-project, but I was wondering if some of you wanted to see it. If you're interested, please let me know, and I might consider putting it up :) But don't fret, I won't let it interfere with my TW time!

Plus I have a new youtube video, so if you've got nothing better to do, you can watch 90 seconds of my editing :P

* * *

**. Chapter XXXIII .**

_**. Sparks .**_

**0:59**

**0:58**

**0:57**

Time. He was running out of time.

**0:56**

**0:55**

**0:54**

He had to get out. Fast. But it was too dark, too risky to move. But he had to keep running. He had to keep his legs moving.

_Left, right, left, right, left, right!_

**0:53**

**0:52**

Sora's heart raced. It was even faster than the heart-pounding techno beats blaring from the speakers. One wrong move could give away his position. One wrong turn could get him shot.

**0:51**

One wrong step, and it was over.

"Found you."

**0:50**

Dead end. It was all over.

Sora turned to face his brother with a sheepish smile. Surrender wasn't an option. Roxas would shoot him for sure. At this point, loss was definite.

Roxas emerged from the shadows and took aim at his twin's shoulder with an evil smirk, "I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother." Without further ado, the younger twin pulled the trigger that caused Sora's armour to vibrate and display a series of lights. "Haha! Seven down, six to go!" Cheered Roxas. In no less than two seconds, his silhouetted figure disappeared to the corridor on the right to take down another victim.

Sora sighed and made his way to the loser's box by the exit. He was never good at laser tag, let alone sudden death free-for-all. Surely he would be better at the game show that Aqua signed them up for in a few hours. When he arrived at the box, seven irritated people were already awaiting him.

"Roxas?" Asked Ventus. Sora confirmed with an eye roll. They all looked up at the giant screen that displayed the game stats and discovered that Riku had recently been shot by Roxas as well.

Sora's jaw dropped, "The _blind man_ outlived me? Kill me. Kill me now." Olette's scream was heard not long after followed by a giant red 'X' being placed across her headshot picture on the screen. This time it was Axel who got her. Hayner came sprinting across the loser's box not long after, desperately trying to climb a rocky wall to snipe.

"I feel like being an asshole." Ven smirked and inhaled before screaming, "Hey Hayner! How's it goin' up there?" The gamer immediately gave him the finger and sprinted off in another direction. He was shot by Xion literally a millisecond later. When he arrived at the loser's box, he pretended to rub his eye with his middle finger directed at Ventus who merely laughed in his face.

"Ooh," Kairi watched as a bright red 'X' was slapped across Xion's face onscreen, "Two to go."

"Roxas and Axel, huh? Place your bets people, right here, place your bets!" Hayner removed his beanie and opened it for cash.

"I bet Axel. I know Roxas. Roxas wouldn't dare shoot him." Said Kairi.

"Excuse me? You think you know Roxas?" Scoffed Sora. "Did you spend quality time with him in the same womb? I don't think so. My bets on Roxas. He's a ruthless little prick."

A second later, the two best friends emerged from opposite sides of the loser's box for the ultimate showdown. While the two spun their guns from their holsters for dramatic effect, Hayner acted as a tumbleweed by rolling in the middle of the two.

"On three." Commanded Roxas with hard, determined eyes. "One."

Axel smirked, "Two."

"Three!" Came a higher-pitched voice from above. Before they could even see who it was, Roxas and Axel's armour began to vibrate and glow. Everyone froze.

They'd both been sniped.

"No way." Sora's jaw dropped as a petite figure began to skip down the ramp. "We forgot about-"

"Namine? !" Axel asked in disbelief, falling to his knees. "Th-this can't be..." She emerged from the shadows with a triumphant smile on her face. "How?"

She simply said, "I'm very good at hiding."

"Even though! You're wearing all freaking white against black lights in a dark room! You're freaking _glowing_!" Axel curled up into a ball in denial.

"Don't mind him, Namine. Congratulations." For support, Roxas kissed her cheek, but the look of stripped manhood was evident on his face.

A loud _BEEP_ caused the doors to open behind the loser's box and signaled the end of their match. They all entered and returned their armour as well as their weapons into the appropriate places.

"So," Roxas began casually while removing his vest, "What happened between you and Kairi last night? There was an awful lot of screaming."

Sora and Kairi turned red.

"I-it's not what you think." Said Sora defensively.

"Oh, so you _did_ use the condoms after all." Axel clicked his tongue with his teeth and snapped his fingers, "I knew something was up when I didn't see them in the trash."

"Wow, I didn't know you two had it in you!" Xion then shook her head, "I lied. I totally knew."

"Sora's officially a man!" Hayner cheered. Everyone followed suit.

Amongst all the cheering, Sora managed to shush them, "Guys, guys! We didn't have sex!"

"_Make love_." Kairi corrected.

Sora blushed even harder, "R-right. We didn't _make love_."

"So what did happen?" Axel placed his hands on his hips accusingly.

"I was having a nightmare." Responded Kairi.

"Are you okay?" Asked Olette.

Kairi grinned, "Yes, I am, thank you. At least _someone_ has the decency to make sure I'm all right."

Silence.

"I still think you two did it." Said Hayner. Nods and accusations followed.

* * *

"Makeup!" With a snap of her fingers, three make-up artists wielding brushes and palettes surrounded Selphie and began working their magic. She squealed in delight, "I've always wanted to do that."

From her vanity table, Xion twiddled her thumbs, "So... what exactly is this show about?"

"You've never seen Battle of the Sexes?" Kairi asked through an open mouth as gloss was smeared across her lips.

Seeing that the redhead was busy, Aqua took over, "First and foremost, Battle of the Sexes is a game show aired on Teenage Wasteland, but you already know that, don't you?" Xion nodded, implying that Aqua should continue, "Well, other than that, the title is pretty self explanatory. You and the girls will be fighting for dominance against the guys via various challenges that will be explained to you by the hosts. Votes for your household went through the roof for this, you know."

"Have there been any changes made since then?" Asked Xion.

Aqua tapped her chin, "The only difference I'm aware of for this segment is that they've altered some of the challenges for a 'Couple Edition', so expect a lot of couple based challenges and to go against Riku a lot."

Xion pouted, "But that would mean you, Selphie, Terra, Ventus, Pence and Axel won't be in it."

Aqua chuckled, "Oh, I'm sure spectating will be just as fun."

In less than five minutes, the guys found themselves lined up at the edge of the set, ready to be introduced by the hosts. The set was very nice, very futuristic, very classy, but _very_ bright with the various pinks and blues. It was almost painful to look at. The boys swore that only Riku, with his blindfold, could survive.

It was then that the boys noticed that Riku's blindfold was gone.

"Whoa, your eyes are back!" Hayner slapped him across the back, "Good to see them again buddy!"

"Yeah, they're so... bright!" A mesmerized Sora inched closer and cupped Riku's face in his hands, "Whoa... I can't believe I'm just noticing now, but you've got beautiful eyes, Riku."

The platinum-haired boy lightly pushed him away and said in a singsong voice, "Ahem, don't touch me there. This is my private square." He then drew an air square with his fingers.

Before Sora could respond, a catchy theme blared from every speaker onset followed by the hosts' introduction. It was none other than Zidane and Vaan from Battle of the Bands in their snazzy getup. The live audience cheered at their arrival. The boys could faintly make out Aqua, Pence, Terra, Selphie and Axel seated at the very front.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen! Do we have a treat for you today!" Zidane yelled excitedly into his mic as the cheers and music died down. "Due to high request, the members of the Hikari Household will be our competitors today on Battle of the Sexes!"

"Couple edition~!" Vaan sang in a lovey-dovey tone. More cheers echoed throughout the set. "So without further ado, let's introduce our competitors!"

Zidane cleared his throat, "First for the girls we have the lovely Olette Lovet followed by her boyfriend Hayner Arundel!"

The second the two emerged from opposite sides, a pop song blasted from the speakers. Hayner greeted his girlfriend with a simple but cute kiss on the cheek at the centre where they stood waiting for the remaining couples. Xion and Riku were introduced next with Roxas and Namine following suit. Kairi then cocked her head to the side and noticed that every couple was made to match.

Hayner and Olette with their orange, Riku and Xion in yellow, Roxas and Namine in a sparkly turquoise and, it was confirmed when she saw Sora smiling at her from the other side, she and Sora in red. The attire wasn't formal, but rather semi-formal and, as usual, fashionable.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, the couple you've all been waiting for..." Vaan began in a dramatic voice.

"KHR's one true pairing!" Continued Zidane.

Then, in unison, "Kairi Lovelock and her boyfriend, Sora Hikari!" It seemed a little rude to be saying that the crowd cheered louder than ever, but they did. Sora tried his hardest to walk with confident strides before he excitedly laced hands with his girlfriend, bowing towards the live audience.

"Kairi Lovelock, lovely as ever." Zidane greeted with a kiss on her free hand. Sora immediately glared at him. The audience had a good laugh at the running gag. After the laughter and applause, each couple was led to a podium.

"So let's start with challenge numero uno," Suggested Vaan. A teen dressed in a skimpy dress came walking out with a transparent bowl filled with slips. Vaan fished the bowl for a slip and summarized its content, "Ooh, I like this one. Each couple will be asked a question about the other, and if correct, points will be given. The gender with the highest amount of points wins."

"Let's see which gender knows more about their partner!" Winked Zidane, "Let the challenge... begin!"

"Right after this break." Vaan added immediately.

"And cut!" Someone called. The instant the cameras turned off, the teens were surrounded by makeup, sprayed by hairspray and were ordered to answer questions that would later be featured on the show. After five minutes of commercials, a teen began counting down from ten with his fingers.

"And we're back!" Zidane announced. The challenge commenced afterward.

"So boys," Began Vaan, "Let's start off easy. Starting with couple number one, here is your question; when is your partner's birthday? And no cheating!"

"Wait, wait," Interupted Hayner, "What happens if we get the question wrong?"

"Zidane." Vaan sang. Zidane proceeded in clicking a button on a remote he was holding and suddenly, an arm with a boxing glove emerged from behind Hayner's podium and punched him square in the stomach. The pained blond gave a thumbs up to show that he understood.

Since Roxas and Namine were the first couple, Roxas had to answer the question first. "That one's easy. April 6th." A _ding_ was immediately heard, followed by a digital 1 placed on the boy's side on the scoreboard plastered across a large, curved screen in the back. Roxas was rewarded by a hug.

"February..." Sora began with a troubled face. Kairi's mouth dropped in disbelief until Sora ruffled her hair with a chuckle, "I'm just joking. September 14." Another point for the boys.

Hayner pulled on his neck collar; he honestly didn't know the answer. Luckily Olette and the audience found his struggling humourus. "U-Uhm... July? Is it July?" The giggling brunette shook her head. "October?" Another head shake. "January? February? March? April? May? No? IS IT A REAL DATE?" A buzzer signalled that couple 3's time was spent. Hayner hung his head in shame before he was punched by the glove again. Olette made no move to comfort him but chuckled instead.

"October 8th." Riku answered. 3 total points for the boys. The audience applauded. Now it was the girls.

"August 7th." Namine answered with ease. She was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek and a point for the girls.

"Now before you answer this Kairi, I'd just like to remind you that Roxas and I are _twins_." Warned Sora jokingly.

"Thanks, that was completely new information!" Said Kairi with a sarcastic tone. The audience chuckled. The correct answer followed.

"March 23rd." Olette answered with certainty.

Hayner's mouth hung open, "When did I tell you that?"

"It's called facebook, honey. Use it." Olette countered with a smirk. The audience laughed a cheesy sitcom laugh.

"January 3rd." Xion answered. That put the girls in the lead by one point.

"This is all your fault Hayner!" Roxas cried with an accusing finger. Hayner stuck up his middle finger which was obviously being pixelated at the moment.

"Next question," Said Vaan, "Couple number one, if you and your partner were at a restaurant, what drink would your partner order?"

"Water. Definetely water." Answered a confident Roxas. The boys and girls were now tied.

"Sssss..." Sora hissed with an unsure look on his face, "Sprite? Yes, I'm sure it's sprite." The brunet's stomach was soon met with the glove.

Kairi crossed her arms, "When have I ever ordered sprite? It's diet coke! It's always diet coke!"

While couple 2 bickered, couple 3 managed to get a question right, putting the boys at a one point lead. Couple 4 also answered correctly, leaving the score at 6-4.

Namine tapped her chin, "Iced tea. Roxas always gets iced tea." 6-5.

"Pepsi. Sora's a coke hater." Kairi answered with a playful glare. Now the genders were tied.

"Gi..." Olette dragged, "Ginger ale? It's ginger ale." 6-7.

"I'm pretty sure it's... Arizona green tea?" Xion guessed. She guessed correctly.

"What the hell? All the girls are getting them right! This is rigged!" Argued Hayner. Another unecessary punch to the stomach shut him up.

"Question number three," Vaan started again, "This one's only for the boys. Couple number one, what turns your partner on the most?"

Roxas blinked twice, "Well this got personal really fast." He then looked at Namine as if he were examining her, "Hmm... I'd say guitar. And singing. Guitar and singing for sure." 7-8.

"Ooh, this one's hard." Sora rested an elbow on the podium and smirked at Kairi, "There's a lot of things about me that turn you on, right babe?" With a blush, she shoved him lightly. "One thing... one thing... is it... hm... oh! V-neck t-shirts! V-necks!" The boys didn't get a point, but Sora didn't get punched either. "Is it not v-neck t-shirts?"

"N-no." Kairi stammered.

"Oh really?" Sora began pulling down on his shirt to create a V shape and asked seductively, "Does this not... turn you on?" When Kairi blushed, a point was added for the boys. Sora punched a fist into the air victoriously, "I knew it! Woo!"

"Tactical nukes. Those turn you on." Hayner answered. He was punched for the fourth time that day.

"Cologne." Said Riku. 10-8.

"Okay girls, this one's for you. If your partner were to be stuck on a tropical island for three days, what one item would they have?" Asked Vaan.

Namine looked straight into Roxas' eyes and giggled, "Me."

"Ain't that the truth." The sun-kissed blond winked before giving her a quick peck on the lips.

Kairi examined Sora's face carefully before saying, "A sock." She was surprisingly correct. Everyone turned to look at the oldest Hikari.

"What?" Asked Sora. "A sock can do a lot of things! Keep a hand or foot warm, can be used as a small, portable bag, and if you're naked you can-"

Roxas raised a hand to stop him, "What happens if you get attacked?"

"Put a rock in the sock. Boom, deadly weapon right there." Sora then proceeded in creating a 'boom' motion with his fist.

"PSP. No doubt." Olette was obviously correct. Xion guessed a plane and was also correct, leaving the score at 10-12. A few more questions were asked and left the score at 18 for the boys and 24 for the girls. A commercial break followed swiftly afterward. The boys and girls were forced to opposite sides until the break was over.

"And we are back!" Zidane announced again. "In the last round, the girls took the crown and are currently at a 6 point lead. Now it's time to give the boys a chance to catch up! In this challenge, the boys will be blindfolded and sort of have to... _feel_ all four girls faces to guess which girl is their girlfriend. If they guess correctly, they get one point. Shall we begin, Vaan?"

"I believe we shall. Gentlemen, who would like to go first?" Asked Vaan. Riku was immediately shoved forward.

His eyes became daggers when Zidane handed him the black piece of cloth, "I thought I finally got rid of you." He snatched it angrily and tied it on. Given that he was blind for a few days, figuring out which girl was Xion was like breathing. Plus she had the shortest hair. The score was up to 19-24. Roxas also guessed correctly. 20-24. When it was Sora's turn, he was having a bit of trouble.

"Nope, you're not Kairi." He said to Xion. He then moved onto Namine. This part was even challenging for Roxas. Kairi and Namine had very similar facial features and hair. Sora was left with an unsure answer before moving onto his actual girlfriend. Kairi tried her hardest not to laugh as he felt her face. Soon his hands found themselves over her chest. He smirked as his hands rested in place, "Okay, you're definetely Kairi."

The crowd bursted into laughter at the red-faced Kairi.

Sora's guess was confirmed when he was lightly shoved by petite hands. He lifted the blindfold over one eye and started laughing as well, apologizing to his girlfriend with a kiss on the cheek. She was too embarassed and refused by pushing him away.

Axel crossed his arms and nodded proudly, "The boy has learned well."

When it was Hayner's turn, he ended up guessing wrong.

"Dude, your girlfriend is the _only one_ with a braid. _How_ could you mess that up?" Sora asked during a commercial break.

"I didn't think it through, okay?" The gamer confessed. After a series of more embarassing and hilarious challenges, their time was nearly spent and the Hikari household was brought to the final challenge of the afternoon. The game the show was named after. Battle of the Sexes.

"The way the game works is simple. The boys must work together to create 10 questions that they are certain the girls can't answer, and the girls must do the same but in vice versa. Since their scores are tied at the moment, the team that answers the most answers correct will win." Explain Vaan, "Ladies and gentlemen, let the final challenge... begin!"

"Ladies first." Zidane offered.

The girls giggled and sent Kairi to read the first question off their piece of paper, "Okay boys. Question one. How long does a period normally last?"

The boys groaned, whined and huddled together to discuss the answer. Even the boys in the live audience were feeling a little uncomfortable. The girls merely chuckled.

After ten seconds, Roxas cleared his throat, tapped the microphone and answered in a know-it-all tone, "The answer is four days to a week."

**Boys:** 1 **Girls:** 0

While the girls sighed in dismay, Sora read the boy's first question, "Okay ladies, what is the first trick a noob skateboarder must learn?"

"Olly." Namine immediately answered. She definitely learned that from Roxas.

**Boys:** 1 **Girls:** 1

The girls high-fived her. Kairi read their second question, "Question two. How many abs does Taylor Lautner have?"

"_What the hell_? How are we supposed to know that? I don't even watch Twilight!" Whined Hayner.

Roxas immediately grabbed the mic, "Eight."

**Boys:** 2 **Girls:** 1

Hayner twitched, "Dude, I don't even want to know how you know that."

"I have a stepsister." Murmured Roxas.

"Sure, man. Sure."

"ANYWAY," Even Sora looked a little fazed, "Question two. What is the name of the COD map that contains an abandoned Nazi theatre and what game is it featured in?"

Olette smirked and answered in a flight attendant like voice, "That would be Kino der Toten, boys. Black Ops. I repeat, Kino der Toten, Black Ops."

Hayner just about had a wargasm.

**Boys:** 2 **Girls:** 2

"Question three." Kairi started, "In 'Mean Girls'," The boys already gave up at this point, "I'm only joking. What are all the bra sizes?"

Although Axel tried mouthing the answers, the boys did not get a point.

Sora read their next question. It was comic related. The girls also didn't get a point.

"Question four," Kairi tried to stifle her laughter, "What is a tampon?" The boys turned a sickly green. None of them felt comfortable answering the question, but if embarassment was the cost for winning, then Hayner gladly took the risk. He ended up hyperventilating in the corner for awhile. Whatever Sora asked next, the girls couldn't answer either. It was a sports question, and since none of the girls were truly into a lot of sports, they couldn't answer.

"Question five," Began Kairi, "Who was the first woman to use a vibrator?" The studio went silent.

Roxas' eyes went wide, "Who the hell came up with these questions? They are _messed up_."

"Do you even know the answer to that?" Asked a shocked Riku.

"Oh, I do!" Exclaimed Sora, "It was Cleopatra. Apparently she took a bunch of buzzing bees and-"

"Augh, stop, stop!" Begged Roxas. He covered his ears, "I don't want to know!"

"How do you even know that?" Riku asked, obviously surprised.

"Tumblr, man." Sora clicked his tongue against his teeth, "Get with the program."

A few questions later, the boys claimed victory. Later it was discovered that while he was supposedly 'hyperventialing', Hayner was texting Roxas answers he found on the internet.

* * *

"Augh." Sora scrunched up his nose, "You look hideous."

Kairi adjusted her vision towards the corner of the mirror and found him standing almost directly behind her with a disappointed expression. As usual, they were made to match. This time, their colour scheme was purple, but Sora's jeans and vest were still black. His tie, on the other hand, was a silvery white.

Instead of turning around to face him, she just played with her eyelashes and chuckled, "That's something a girlfriend always wants to hear from her boyfriend."

Sora smirked and put his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, "You're hideous because they keep prettying you up for the cameras. Look at this." He flicked her eyelashes, "These are fake, aren't they? And your eyes have those artificial lines and sparkly colours all over them... and they powdered that blush on your cheeks. The blush _I'm_ supposed to put on your cheeks. What did they do to my naturally beautiful Kairi?"

Kairi chuckled, "They _enhanced_ her."

"They changed her. You don't look like a Destiny Islands girl anymore. I like your natural look because you remind me of home."

Kairi pouted, "Is it really that bad?"

He kissed her cheek quickly, "No, you look gorgeous. I just don't like that the island keeps changing your look every time there's an audience."

"Don't worry, Sora. Aqua assured me that this will be the last interview we do for the island. At the end of the day, you'll still be you, and I'll still be me. They can't and won't change me, got it?" Kairi assured.

"Good." After spinning her around and kissing her quickly on the mouth, Sora's hands trailed to the zipper of Kairi's purple dress, "But I do like the dress. Seems easy enough to take off."

Kairi seductively pulled on his tie to pull him closer only to stomp on his foot with her heel, "Pervert."

He cringed, "Well played." A cameraman then informed them that the show would begin in two minutes. The couple waited at the edge of the set. The set, unlike Battle of the Sexes, was cozy and homey. Red couches, hardwood floor, coffee table with flowers, large sleek desk for the host, TV screen in the back and a fake window to overlook the fake city. It looked as if the interview was taking place at night when, in reality, it was only four in the afternoon.

"Aren't you worried that my parents could be watching this right now?" Kairi suddenly asked.

Sora gulped. Now he had to be twice as charming and sweet. "Thanks for putting the thought into my head."

When the couple was called and introduced, they shook hands with the two hosts, one of which was Shiki Misaki, and the other-

Sora jumped, "Again? Dude, you need a girlfriend."

Zidane laughed with the audience, "I do. Mind if I take yours?" More laughter. As both hosts and the couple took their designated seats, Shiki got right to the questions.

"So," She began casually, smoothing out her skirt from behind the table, "Who do we owe our thanks to for getting you two back together?"

While Sora scratched the back of his head, Kairi laughed nervously, "Um, Axel, I guess. He sort of set the whole date thing up."

Axel, who was seated in the front with the rest of their household, stood and bowed, accepting the audience's praise. "So is this like Ellen DeGeneres? Do I get like an iPad or something?" The crowd simply ate up his humorous persona.

"No, but you do get the satisfaction of hooking up these two adorable teens." Shiki gestured over to Sora and Kairi who sat a formal distance apart. They gave a shy little wave to the cameras.

"Well that's a really crappy deal," Started Axel, "All we get to do is watch them make out and-" Roxas immediately placed a hand over his best friend's mouth, but the audience didn't let it slide.

"I'm grounded, I'm grounded, I'm so grounded," Kairi muttered into her hands. Sora glared and did the 'I'm watching you' gesture to the pyromaniac.

"Oh ho ho! Exposed!" Zidane squealed on the edge of his seat, "Well well Sora and Kairi, have you been naughty lately? Done the dirty yet?"

While Kairi screamed "Of course not!", Sora tapped his chin and lingered on the question, "Mmmm..." Kairi sent him a look to which he chuckled and waved at the audience, "I'm just joking. Of course not! I would wait forever for this girl."

"It's true! He didn't even touch the pack of condoms I gave him!" Yelled Axel.

Kairi buried her head into Sora's shoulder, "Kill me. Kill me now."

As the audience died down, Shiki eased up on the following questions, "Okay, okay, I think we should make things easier for you two and start asking simpler questions."

Sora flashed her a charming smile, "That would be appreciated."

"Now I know in your online interview that you wouldn't answer when we asked how you two first got together, so instead of asking that, I think the whole island is curious as to how you two met." The audience agreed. "With you two being from different worlds, we just want to know how all this love sparked and came to be. After all, Sora, you're from... from where again?"

"I currently live in Palumpolum," He answered, "But I was born on Destiny Islands. I left for Eden when I was two with Roxas and my mother. We returned with our father when we were fourteen, and with Kairi living there her whole life, we just happened to meet."

"And how did that happen exactly?" Shiki asked formally.

"I first laid eyes on her at this beach party," Sora started, "But when I tried to talk to her, she-"

"Mm," Kairi interrupted, "They don't need to know that part."

"Ooh, kinky." Zidane winked, earning snickers from the audience.

"No, it's nothing like that," Sora assured, "She just... I don't know..."

"I ran away." Kairi finished with a sigh. The audience got a good laugh out of that one.

"So Sora wasn't much of a charmer back then, huh?" Chuckled Shiki.

"No, he was," Kairi answered with a smile, "But I just came from the dentist who shot about three syringes in my mouth to numb the pain. I couldn't speak properly for hours."

After some vigorous nodding, Shiki asked, "So what were your first impressions of each other?"

"I thought he looked like a cute little porcupine." Kairi answered while patting his head.

"Well I, of course, thought she was very beautiful. Very interesting. Very... odd." Sora answered. "Her hair was what got me at first. I mean, it's _red_. Isn't that awesome? And it's natural, did you know that?"

"It is very nice." Shiki admitted, "It suits her very well." Kairi thanked her. "So Sora, since that day, have any other girls caught your eye?"

Everyone fell silent for his answer. "Well yeah, I'm not gonna lie, I've noticed some girls, but none really stuck to me like Kairi did."

"So unlike the typical teenager, you haven't fallen in love dozens of times?" Asked Shiki.

"Actually, I have fallen in love dozens of times," Sora then looked Kairi in the eye and held both her hands in his, "But all with the same woman." As the crowd let out their sounds of sympathy and admiration, their household boo'd at the cheesiness.

"So you two had to meet again after that night at the beach, right? Where did this magical next meeting occur?" Asked Shiki.

"Summer school." Sora replied sourly.

"How romantic." Zidane murmured, earning a few more chuckles. Clearly it was him who entertained the audience.

"Yeah, Kairi and I were fast tracking English and ended up in the same class. Originally, we were supposed to have around fifteen students or so in our class, two of them being Axel and Roxas, but the other thirteen barely showed up, so Kairi and I spent a lot of alone time together." Explained Sora.

Zidane raised an eyebrow, "So why didn't Axel and Roxas show up?"

"They just ditched class for some club or whatever. If some of you didn't know, Roxas was a badass back then." Sora teasingly placed his hands behind his head and rested his back onto the couch with crossed legs. Roxas rolled his eyes but accepted the audience's applause.

The remainder of the interview flowed smoothly after that. Sora did majority of the answering, which Kairi was thankful for. He so easily moved the audience with his words and actions. He was even polite, calling Zidane 'sir' every now and then, even if it was unnecessary. He was professional but entertaining, something that Kairi never understood about him. He had the audience wrapped around his finger. She was still in a daze by the time the interview was finished. She didn't even notice that they were already alone backstage.

"Kairi? Hello?" He asked, waving a tanned hand in front of her face, "I know I was a sexy beast out there, but can you at least blink?"

It was his cockiness that brought her back, "Ha ha, yes Sora, you were so sexy telling them about how Roxas and Axel kissed that one time."

Sora raised his hands defensively, "Hey, I was just trying to get back at Axel for his inappropriate side comments!"

Kairi rubbed her temples, "Oh, don't even remind me about those. The audience didn't even sound convinced."

"Hey," He lifted her chin up and grinned, "Don't worry. I can fix this." He led her towards the abandoned, empty set and screamed at the top of his lungs, "HEY! EVEN THOUGH I REALLY WANT TO, KAIRI AND I HAVE NOT MADE LOVE TO EACH OTHER YET!"

The two burst out laughing at Sora's bold and unnecessary confession.

"Better?" He asked sweetly.

"Better." He was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek. "I'm gonna go change and meet you outside in ten, okay?"

"Keep your dress off!" Yelled Sora as she began to walk to her dressing room.

"In your dreams!" She yelled back. Sora chuckled and sat on one of the red couches again, staring at one of the spotlights on the ceiling to pass the time. Five minutes later, some heavy footsteps from behind caught his attention. Those definitely didn't belong to Kairi.

"Cloud." He breathed. Then he frowned, "What the heck are you doing here?"

"To warn you." He said in a serious tone.

Sora's brows furrowed as he crossed his arms, "Warn me about what?"

"Don't tell Kairi what I'm about to tell you, all right?"

"If she's involved then I think she has the right to know." Sora growled.

"No, just shut up and listen. If she finds out, she could be put in danger, and you really don't want that. No one does."

Sora's expression turned serious, "So what exactly is going on?"

"Ultimecia and that crew of hers hasn't been found yet. The same goes for those two cronies that were with Seifer."

Sora's eyes widened, "What? It's been a week. Where would they..."

"I don't know. That's why I'm warning you to keep your eyes open. They could be anywhere. Until they're caught, you, Kairi, and your entire household isn't safe. We've set up more security around your neighbourhood, but in case that isn't enough, you should take precautions."

"Who else knows about this?" Asked Sora.

"My brother. My household. Security. Roxas."

"I see." An awkward silence followed suite. "Th-thanks though, Cloud. For warning me."

He nodded, "Just seeing to it that everyone's safe on this island. Take care."

Sora mirrored his actions, "Sure."

As Cloud began to leave, he suddenly turned around, "Oh, and by the way, the cameras were still on when you were yelling earlier."

"..."

* * *

**Hikari Household**

"Is it a... butterfly?"

"Troll face?"

"Angry hobo?"

"Tourettes?"

"Anger management?"

"I SAID IT WAS THREE WORDS!" Yelled Axel in frustration.

"Dude, it's charades, you're not allowed to talk!" Hayner complained.

"I know, but this one's impossible!" Whined the pyromaniac. For ten more seconds he tried to act out what was on his slip of paper to no avail.

"Time's up!" Selphie informed.

Axel threw his hands up in defeat, "I give up. Whoever came up with that one was retarded."

Roxas took the slip of paper and read it. He frowned, "_'Frustrated charades person'_? How the heck do you act that out?"

"Exactly!" Axel yelled. While the pyro bickered with the opposing team, Kairi's sights turned to her boyfriend outside in the backyard lounge. He sat on one of the benches covered with various patterned pillows with his guitar on his lap. He stared off into the ocean, mindlessly plucking strings while bathing in the sunset light.

Deciding that he looked too serious for his own good, Kairi grabbed a sweater and headed outside to distract him. She leaned against the wall for a few moments, watching him intently. His eyes were closed as he strummed and hummed a few notes, obviously not knowing that she was there. The way he looked and sounded when he played made her wonder why he didn't take up music as a career. He was undoubtedly passionate about it. And judging by the results of BOTB, he had the guts and the talent for it. The same went for his brother who took it even more seriously.

"I know you're there." He sung with eyes still closed.

"Why don't you want to become a musician?" She asked.

He slowly opened his eyes and set his guitar down, "I never really thought about it."

"Why?"

"I don't know," He replied, "I guess it just sounds like a really far-off dream to me."

"Well, it shouldn't. You're really good at it." Kairi crossed her arms, "Come to think of it, you're really good at everything."

Sora sighed, "I'm not good at everything, Kairi."

"Yes, you are. And compared to you, what can I do? Nothing, really."

Sora sent her a glare, "Did you really just say that?"

She challenged him with a smirk, "Maybe."

"Hm. Challenge accepted." Sora cracked his knuckles, "Well first, you're on heck of a volleyball player, you can play the ukelele like a boss, you sing like an angel, you dance amazingly, you can practically swim as fast as Michael Phelps and you play COD like you invented it."

"You can do all those things _and_ play the guitar." Kairi countered.

Sora smirked, "Since when did this relationship become a competition?"

"Since now."

He walked towards her and caressed her cheek, "Well you shouldn't think of it that way. You'll just have to admit that we're both equally talented. But you probably make better sandwiches."

"Sexist." Kairi spat.

Sora chuckled and traced her jawline, "I'm only joking. But there is one thing I am admittedly better at than you are."

"And what's that?" Kairi whispered.

"Kissing." He replied, taunting her by inching closer.

"Is that a challenge?"

Sora lifted her chin up, "Maybe."

"Challenge accepted." She whispered, pulling him down to close the gap between their lips. Sora intended for it to be sweet, but Kairi kissed back with so much force that it was starting to mean something else. He pulled away before things started getting out of hand.

"Kairi?" Her name came out as a question. As permission.

Her reassuring eyes pulled him back down to her lips. Things got hot quickly after that and it wasn't because they were right next to the circular white campfire. In a split second, Sora lifted her up and her legs were hooked around his waist. The instant his back hit the couch, he started trailing down to Kairi's neck only to hear banging coming from one of the windows in the living room. The two pulled away to find Axel doing pelvic thrusts against the window and making unnecessary noises and faces at them. Everyone else behind him was either laughing or covering their eyes.

Kairi turned as red as her hair, "I, uh... I completely forgot we had housemates..."

He brushed a hair from her eyes with a laugh, "So did I."

Instead of facing more embarrassment by walking inside the house, the couple chose to wander down to the beach where they watched the last few minutes of the sunset together. While Sora played with her hair, Kairi sat on his lap and watched the waves crash on the shore.

"What are you thinking about, Sora?" She suddenly asked.

"Sex." He answered calmly. When he felt her tense up he chuckled and threw his arms around her, "I'm kidding! I was thinking about how nice holding you like this is."

Kairi laughed nervously, "I like that answer so much better."

"I thought you would." He placed a kiss on her shoulder.

"So why were you thinking of that and not how amazing this sunset is?"

"Because holding you like this is better." He replied. "It's so easy. If I tried anything like this two months ago you would've had my head on a platter. Now I can just willingly hold you without the fear of you decapitating me."

Kairi grinned, "That is true."

"And you have to remember that..." Sora's shoulders tensed, "That this won't be so easy when we're miles apart."

Kairi sighed, "Sadly, that is also true."

He buried his head on the crook of her neck, "Mhm."

"I don't want to go home." Whined Kairi like a child.

"Why don't we sleep out here tonight?" Sora suddenly suggested.

His girlfriend looked at him as if he had two heads, "What?"

"Out here. On the beach. It'll be a nice change, won't it? Under the stars? It'll be just like that hammock we had before, but this time we'll use sleeping bags or something."

"Uh..." Although it was out of the blue, Kairi merely shrugged, "Okay, sure."

"We don't have to, you know." Sora assured.

Kairi smiled. He was always thinking of her comfort and happiness. "No, no, it's okay. Let's do it."

* * *

After several hours or so, the couple spread out a sleeping bag over the sand, tossed a few pillows here and there and shared a blanket before lying down. Luckily it wasn't too cold. Their pyjamas sufficed.

"Wow." Sora breathed. "I never get to see this many stars in Palumpolum. The city lights are always too bright."

"Really? This sight isn't too different from the one on Destiny Islands." Said Kairi. After a few minutes of stargazing past, Kairi suddenly said, "Tell me about them."

Sora propped himself up on one elbow, "About what?"

Kairi pointed upward, "The stars, obviously."

Her boyfriend scratched the back of his head, "To be honest, I know nothing about stars."

Kairi rolled her eyes, "How romantic."

"But I do know that you shine brighter than all of them."

"Hmhm, nice save." Complimented Kairi as she sat up to rest her head on his shoulder. "You know, you never answered my question."

"What question?"

"The one where I asked you when you realized that you were in love with me."

"Huh." Sora closed his eyes and tried to remember.

_"When did you realize that you were in love with me?"_

_He opened his eyes after letting out a small chuckle, "Probably when I first saw you play COD. I was a complete goner."_

_"Because a girl that can click buttons to perform a perfect no-scope longshot is so sexy." Said Kairi sarcastically._

_"It is, actually." Laughed Sora, "But that's not when I realized my love for you."_

_"Then when? Where? Why?" He could tell she was eager by the tightening grip on his hand._

_"If you quit cutting off my circulation, I'll tell you." Kairi apologized and lessened her grip. "Hm, let's see... you wanted a specific moment?"_

_"Yes, that is correct." She clarified._

_"Huh, see, that's the problem. I find myself falling in love with you more and more each day, so..."_

_"That's rather cheesy." Kairi chortled._

_His eyes hardened, "You wanted the truth, didn't you?"_

_"I wanted a specific moment in time. When did you realize that, out of all the possible girls you could've had, that I was the one for you? What made me so special at that very moment?"_

_"Hm..." Sora thought long and hard until his brother disrupted their kodak moment._

_"All right lovebirds, get up, get up! It's time to get out of this stupid cave!" He sung with verve while hauling them onto their feet._

Sora gasped as he was thrusted back into the real world, "You're right."

"When am I wrong?" Kairi teased. "So come on. Spill the beans. When did you realize it huh? Huh?" She tried weaselling it out of him by continuously pressing her shoulder to his.

He sent her an annoyed look, "Okay, okay, enough with the pushing. I'll tell you." As soon as Kairi stopped, he began, "Um, let's see... do you remember the 100th Destiny Islands Day?"

"Yes..." Kairi replied unsurely, "_Oh_. Oh, yes! Yeah, I remember. The festival on the beach? Where Tidus and Selphie ditched us so we could have a 'date'?"

"Yes. That's where. That's when."

"Ew." Said Kairi with distaste, "Why?"

Sora chuckled at her reaction, "Because you were so... _you_ that day. Does that make sense?"

"Elaborate please."

Sora sighed, "You're making this so hard for me. You know most guys don't like talking about their feelings, right?"

Kairi stuck out her tongue, "That's exactly why I want you to elaborate."

He narrowed his eyes, "You are a very sadistic person, my dear. But if you must know, it was because you were very natural that day. I don't know how to describe it, but you were so comfortable. So happy. You showed me all those traditions and songs and participated in all those dances and you just made me feel so... at home, I guess. I never considered Destiny Islands my home until you came along. That's why I told you earlier that I didn't like it when they coated you in makeup. They were taking away the girl I laid with on the beach that night. The girl that reminds me so much of home."

Kairi didn't speak after that. She lay down with her back turned to Sora in silence. He lay down as well and wrapped his arms around her from behind. Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, Kairi turned to face him.

"Was that a good answer?" He whispered.

The kiss that followed suite answered his question.

"I love you." She said. There was no sign of hesitation or doubtfulness in her expression or tone. She was sure.

"And I love you. Always." He said, leaning downward so that he could continue to kiss her. Suddenly, Destiny Islands didn't seem so far-off anymore. Minutes later, Sora's beeping watch interrupted them, informing them that it was midnight. Sora grinned widely as he read the date and the time. "It's midnight."

"It is midnight." Kairi confirmed. "And it's August 25th today."

"Do you remember what August 25th is?" Asked Sora.

Kairi smiled, "Do you?"

"I do." He responded by kissing her forehead, "Happy anniversary, Kairi."

* * *

**Personally, I thought that could've been better, but I think this story needs a little more comic relief and fluff because the next chapter gets _really_ intense. Like. Really intense. Sh** happens on anniversaries. Remember last time? xD **

**So summing up what I've been up to since the last time I updated:  
- I turned 16 (Yup. Gettin' old LOL)  
- Went on a cruise (it was SIICCKKK. I got pulled onstage at a crazy party on the deck by celebrity dancers and partied for like 3 hours with the other teens, explored the Bahamas, made a whole bunch of new friends and oh. oh man. it was freaking amazing. and apparently i was in the same elevator with a guy who won America's Got Talent but didn't notice until he left. all my friends were like "oh... dammit!" xO) There was way too much free food though D:  
- I played that Battle of the Sexes game on the ship, too. Similar questions were used. People come up with interesting things at the teen centre :P  
- Went to Universal Studios. Hella awesome. Got my minion crew from Despicable Me.  
- Spent Christmas at Hogwarts. Yes, you read that right. It exists now LOL. Got all my Gryffindor swag. That place was DFKJHGDSKJHFGHJKBDS. It's like you're actually there o.e I didn't buy a wand, though. $30 for a stick? I don't think so! I did get the overpriced shirt and scarf though :P  
- Spend New Years at Maryland with the cousin & summer crew. No natural disasters this time guys x) And while we're on the subject, HAPPY LATE NEW YEAR!  
- I got a PSMOVE :3 I am a Just Dance 3 PROOO.  
- Recently bought an archery set because my friends suggested that we have a fake Hunger Games in the summer. Fake weapons FTW LOL. Now I'm illegally shooting shoeboxes in my basement (can someone say BA Katniss Everdeen? ;D) and learning how to throw a plastic knife xD I swear I'm gonna be a ninja by the time I'm done training.  
- Got my license (MORE ASIANS ON THE ROAD WOO TOKYO DRIIIFTTT)  
- I dyed my hair... to be honest I don't even know what colour it is LOL. In the sunlight, it's red. Not ginger. I mean red. In normal lighting, it's brown. With my head down, it's black. People say it changes according to my mood haha  
- And now, exams are coming up in two days so I decided to update before they begin! I must now study for the torture to come. And i'm sick, too :( (CURSE YOU CANADIAN WEATHER) But first, I shall thank all the reviewers! Because really. 1200+? I never thought I'd see the day T-T**

**Special thanks to: **KurukiXV, paopufruit-to-go, KeybladeM757, Nichole, Orphinia, Sozic, Otherguy14, Random Reviewer, ChuckleBunny, The Demon of the ink, Artism, AKAAkira, alyssaangel15, Have a Little Feith, sunshinemeg82, Fuline Lite, TheDarkNinjaPanda17, Aaralynne, Keyblades of Oblivion, Dreamstation369, Moon Princess016, Nikolas Sur, Wash in with WAVES, Spellbound aka soragirl4ever, AnimeGurl0130, Jackson12, acidic wrath, EternallySky, Hydro Dexter, Isabelz3Cookies, DragoNik, Zoe the Hunter, Tyjet Ansatsu, Dusk-Sky-please call me Emorii, AsoenixKristian, GreyPurpleBlack, Mokimoki-chan, Sookdeo, beckster411, Redeeming Endeavor, StaySaneInsideInsanity, Versivalia, RoxasLuvsCookies, Q-A the Authoress, aqua rose band leader, Rytex, Kurt the Mortician, Burai Stelar, TwinToshiro, Chaoshime and those whose usernames still appear blank :P

**I'm terribly sorry if I missed anyone or misspelled your name. You know I'm thankful, nonetheless! Thank you for all your never-ending support and standing by me! When my exams are finished, I promise to get the most intense chapter up asap! Reviews are appreciated and I'm sorry for any grammar errors!**

**xoKyorii**


	34. The Calm in the Storm

. **T**e_**e**_n_a_g**e** x **W**a_**s**_tel_a_n**d** . ©

**x**_o_ . **K**yori_i_

**A/N:** In my sixteen years of existence, I have learned many things. One of them, primarily, is that schoolwork is the biggest troll to teenagers. Not only is it a pain at school, but it also has to take over people's social lives, too. But enough about that. Let's talk about why you shouldn't rip my head off for the five-month wait

So for the past few years, some of you recommended that I publish a book. Not on fan fiction, but an actual book. Well, other than school, that's why I've been gone. I'm trying to write a book. I was just wondering if you guys would, you know... buy it? I'm not betting on an extreme success, so I'll start out small by personally publishing it. That means if you want, you can only buy it online. I won't give away the plot, but with the idea I have going, it's like a sci-fi, fantasy, action, and romance kind of thing. I don't know how long it will take me to write it, but I'll do my best to have it done before I turn 17! Side note: I turn 17 on December 17. How cool is that?

Now ladies and gentlemen, onto our feature presentation! Originally this was supposed to be in the next chapter, but since it's been awhile, I decided to give you Sora and Kairi's back-story early instead And since I've been gone for quite awhile, I extended this chapter by a good 10k words and split it into two chapters x)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

* * *

**. Chapter XXXIV .**

_**. The Calm in the Storm .**_

**Line of the Chapter:  
**_"Who cares if your relationship short lived? It could be intense and passionate all the same. If you're meant to be, you're meant to be. Take a chance."_

* * *

_I will be the calm in the storm you're looking for;  
__I'll be the shipwreck that takes you down._– Hedley, Kiss You Inside Out

* * *

She couldn't bear to look at her reflection that particular afternoon.

Selphie claimed that it wasn't as bad as it felt, but she had trouble reciprocating those thoughts.

"I feel like I got punched in the face," whined fourteen-year-old Kairi Lovelock. She pulled on her cheek and groaned. From then on she swore to take good care of her teeth; she didn't want the dentist coming at her with those numbing syringes ever again.

"There's the thing," snapped Selphie, "it _feels_ like you got punched in the face, but you don't look anything like it. Trust me, Kairi, you look fine."

She shook her head like a stubborn child. Selphie let out an exasperated sigh and forced Kairi's computer chair around 360 degrees. The redhead caught a glimpse of her hair in the vanity mirror and immediately shielded her eyes. Slowly, she removed her hands from her face and looked into the mirror.

Selphie was right; her face looked a lot better than it felt.

But there was another issue at hand.

"I can't speak properly," said Kairi. She sounded as if she had burned her tongue. It was rather uncomfortable.

Selphie raised an eyebrow. "You're really hell-bent on not going to this party, aren't you?" Kairi nodded. "Why? It's going to be the hottest party of the summer! _Tidus_ is the host! Tidus Clearwater, our _childhood friend_. How could you pass up such an exciting opportunity the day before summer school? Girl, trust me, you're going to need all the fun you can get." Seeing that the redhead didn't move an inch, Selphie rummaged through the shelves in her room until she found a narrow but portable whiteboard and whiteboard marker complete with an eraser at the tip.

"Here," she said, handing the items to Kairi. "If you can't convey what you're thinking verbally, write it down. Sound good?"

_No,_ Kairi wrote. Selphie glared at her. Kairi smiled back. _You can't make me go_.

It was Selphie's turn to smile. Kairi didn't like the sinister feel it held behind it.

"Selphie?" she squeaked.

Five minutes later she found herself tied in her best friend's skipping ropes at the end of the island pier.

* * *

"Selphie, Kairi!" hollered Tidus at the pier on the other side. As he helped the girls tie the canoe in place, he said, "I'm so glad you could both make it. I was scared that you weren't going to come, Kairi."

Kairi simply drew him a picture of a stick person tied in skipping ropes.

"Oh," was all he said.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get this party started!" cheered Selphie, skipping off to some random direction. She seemed to be heading for the dance floor next to the tiki themed bar. Since their play island wasn't the largest, there weren't many elaborate decorations, but the lanterns tied in series above the dance floor was certainly a nice touch alongside the torches.

"Hey, Tidus!" slurred an obviously hammered teen. He clapped the blond on the shoulder and yelled against the music, "Great party man!"

He mimicked the teen's actions. "Thanks, man. Take it easy on the drinks, though." The teen wobbled away with empty promises.

_Who was that?_ Kairi wrote.

"I honestly have no idea," Tidus answered sincerely. "I meant for this to be a small get together with twenty people or so, but twenty became one hundred in the span of an hour." Kairi was about to write more, but Tidus stopped her. "Stop that, will you? I'm sure you sound fine. Besides, who's going to hear you with all this noise? Speak with actions, Kairi. Actions. Go dance. Have fun. Party." And with that, the shaggy blond pushed her onto the dance floor.

After about an hour of being controlled by the music, Kairi decided that her body couldn't take anymore dancing. Selphie, who was nowhere near tired, dismissed Kairi to do as she pleased. With that said, Kairi contentedly ran off to her sanctuary: the secret place. It was the only place that ensured peace and quiet, and only she (with the exception of some close friends) knew how to get there.

She immediately found the small waterfall that she usually collected drinking water from as a child and crossed over to the bushes nearby. Two unidentifiable teens were close by, but they were too… _preoccupied _to notice the redhead sneak into the bushes. She pushed a few to the side and slipped into the darkness of the tunnel. Due to experience, she landed on her feet perfectly. It was dark, darker than she had anticipated, but the little light that the moon provided was enough for her watch her step.

Kairi walked over to the large stone that she usually used as a chair and sprawled herself across its hard surface. Slowly, she closed her eyes. Peace and quiet. This was where she liked to think and used to draw as a child. Her drawings, along with Selphie's and Tidus's, even made it onto the rocky walls. The trio liked to think that they were the first to discover this rocky abode when they were children, but judging by the few drawings that were already inscribed on the walls prior to their discovery, someone had already been there and apparently never came back.

Kairi's ears perked upward when she heard the sound of footsteps nearby and the familiar sound of the bushes being pushed aside. At first, it was nothing. Then it repeated. Again. And again. Kairi was certain the person was nearby this time.

_It's probably Selphie or Tidus,_ she thought. They were the only ones present at the party who knew of the secret place. The rest were good boys and girls that stayed home on the main island.

Her eyes opened when she heard a scream; a masculine scream. The sound of tumbling followed suit. They were getting closer. And closer.

That was most definitely _not _Selphie or Tidus.

"Oomph!" said the stranger. Kairi remained frozen in place. Maybe if she stayed still, she would remain unnoticed.

The stranger rose from the ground and dusted off their pants. Kairi couldn't see much, but she saw enough to conclude that he was slightly taller than her with hair that defied gravity in every direction. He wasn't exactly lanky, but he wasn't exactly muscular, either.

Then the eyes.

It was like a vast ocean wave followed by smaller, gentle, soothing waves: the kind that rose to your ankles and ticked your feet. The kind that made you feel bubbly on the inside. It was surreal and almost… dreamlike.

"Hi," said the owner of the dreamy ocean eyes. He sounded nervous. Embarrassed. Cute.

How did he notice her? She hadn't moved an inch.

She shook her head. She'd been spotted already. There was no going back. It was too dark, too dark to write a reply with her whiteboard. So she did what first came into mind to prevent even more awkwardness and embarrassment.

She dropped the whiteboard and ran.

* * *

The next day, Kairi sped walk through the halls with her fists clenched at her sides. She didn't want to be there. Of all places she could be at the moment, she had to be _there_.

School. On a summer day. School during summer.

Summer school.

Fast tracking English during the school year seemed to be a good idea at the time, but now… now… now it just seemed stupid.

"Good morning, sunshine," greeted a well-rested Selphie. Kairi growled in response. "Don't you growl at me Kairi Lovelock. You _chose_ to be here today."

"And what a stupid decision it was," she sighed. The redhead slumped her shoulders and hit her head against the wall continuously.

"So where did you run off to at the party yesterday?" asked Selphie. "When I asked Tidus where you were, he told me he saw you running out of the secret place."

Kairi turned beet red. "Oh, that… um, you see… I… Isortofkindofmetsomeone."

Selphie raised a brow. "Come again?"

"I. Met. Someone," she annunciated.

Her babyhood friend smiled mischievously. "Ooh, I see. I told you going to that party was going to be good! So what was his name? Was he cute? Was he a good kisser?"

Kairi narrowed her eyes. "You expect me to know all that information after one encounter?"

"Well I'm sorry. You 'met someone' in a dark cave during a wild party. That's not kinky at all."

"It was nowhere near that. It was… more on the embarrassing side."

"And what, pray tell, was so embarrassing?"

"Well, he tried talking to me, but…"

Selphie stifled a giggle. "But you couldn't talk because of what the dentist shot in your mouth?"

Kairi hung her head in shame. "Precisely."

"And then you ran?" Selphie's stifled giggles turned into full on laughter. "You know, there are better ways to handle things. You could have at least said hi. I'm sure that wasn't so incredibly hard."

"I know, but he seemed so nice and his voice was so smooth and his eyes, goodness, Selphie, his _eyes_-"

_**RRRRRIIIIIIIIING!**_

"There's the bell," said Selphie, "Tell me more about him at lunch, okay?" After a quick one-armed hug, the two dispersed.

When Kairi walked in her English class, she was surprised to see that it was fairly small. There were only about fourteen people or so and it mostly consisted of boys. Her teacher, Ms. Farren, was currently writing her name on the board in neat calligraphy. Kairi took her seat in the middle. To her left was a brunette boy with spiked hair and glasses. He looked a lot like the boy she met yesterday, but something about him (maybe his hair) was off. Behind him was a lanky boy with spiky red hair the same shade as Kairi's. To her right was an empty seat.

"Roxas," the boy to her left said. When she turned to face him he had his hand outstretched towards her. He was around her age, if not a few months older.

"Kairi," she responded, shaking his hand.

"This is Axel," he said, pointing to the redheaded male with spiky hair. He looked about a year older than her and Roxas. She didn't want to judge, but he must have failed to be there. He wolf-whistled at her and waved.

"Nice hair," was all he said.

The bell rung again and the Destiny Islands anthem followed suit. Everyone in the class lazily stood to show respect. When it was over, the teacher turned on the TV for Destiny Academy's own show broadcasted on campus every Friday. After a cheesy introduction, the camera panned downward to a classy looking studio. The hosts, both of which were third year males from Destiny Academy, began welcoming new transfer students to the school. One of them was Tidus. Kairi recognized the other as Wakka.

"Good morning students of Destiny Academy," greeted Tidus, "This is Tidus Clearwater and Wakka Yevon. Welcome back."

"And a warm welcome to those who come from different worlds!" exclaimed Wakka with a heavy accent. "We hope you enjoy your short stay here."

"But to make things slightly less awkward between you and the Destiny Islanders," continued Tidus, "we're going to let you participate in a traditional Destiny TV segment called _Fifteen Minutes of Fame_."

"Or shame. Depends on how you do," chuckled Wakka.

"For fifteen minutes, a male and female student selected at random will be chosen from a bowl of names and interviewed," explained Tidus. Then, in an Effie Trinket accent, he began to say, "Now, the time has come to select one courageous boy and girl to have the honor in participating in Destiny TV's traditional _Fifteen Minutes of Fame_! Wakka, the bowls please." At this, two transparent bowls were wheeled in: one for girls, the other for boys.

"Ladies first," said Tidus. He dug his perfectly tanned arm deep into the bowl and pulled out a slip of paper. He smirked as he unraveled the contents. Kairi didn't like his facial expression. "Oh, this is interesting. For the girls we have a personal childhood friend of mine."

_Please be Selphie,_ chanted Kairi mentally.

"Kairi Lovelock!" the blond announced. Kairi inwardly groaned and got up from her seat. Her name was one in three hundred girls attending Destiny Academy that summer. This had to be rigged.

"Good luck," said Roxas with a smile. He had a friendly smile.

Kairi bowed slightly in gratitude. "Thank you."

When Kairi exited the classroom, she immediately felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

_Text received from_ **Bestie**:  
LOL sucker.

She rolled her eyes and made her way to the studio. She had never been there before, so when she arrived, she was surprised to see that it was massive and spacious. She spotted Tidus talking to a crewmember on the interview set and began stomping in his direction until someone grabbed her arm. It was a third year crewmember with a horrible tan. She looked like she just rolled in Doritos.

"Are you Kairi?" she asked. The redhead nodded. "Please come with me."

She found herself being led to the interview set anyway where two make-up artists applied a generous amount of products to her face.

"Well, well, what a pleasant surprise," came a familiar teasing voice from behind one of the artists.

"You did this on purpose," Kairi growled as one girl coated her lips with colour.

Tidus raised his hands in surrender. "I had nothing to do with it, I swear."

When Kairi's male counterpart came walking through the door behind Tidus, her jaw dropped, smearing some colour on the outside of her lips. He had spiky chocolate brown hair, a cute face, and familiar blue eyes.

"Okay, you totally set this up!" she whined. Tidus merely chuckled and took a seat on his designated red couch.

When Kairi's make-up was finished, she was content with the outcome. It was a natural look with earthy tones. It suited her age.

Afterwards, she took her seat on the couch directly across Tidus. The set had the classic Destiny Islands loft feel: sturdy straw-like walls, modern and colourful furniture, a glass coffee table in the center and a wonderful view of the paopu trees dancing with the wind outside.

"Scared?" asked Tidus.

"Not really," she answered honestly. Kairi was thought of as an easy-going person, and with one of her best friends as the hosts, she figured that things should go smoothly. "Although, I do have a complaint about my partner."

Tidus smirked with a shrug. And just to smite her even more, Kairi's partner just occupied the seat next to her, but before he could introduce himself, Wakka demanded their attention.

"We're on in five," he said, "Get ready."

"Good luck," said the male interviewee. When Kairi turned to face him, she was rendered speechless. If he was cute in the dark, he was even handsomer firsthand in the light. With perfectly tousled brown hair, perfect features, a healthy tan and ocean blue eyes, it was hard not to stare. He was, undoubtedly, the same boy from last night.

"Y-you too," she stammered. She heard Tidus cough obnoxiously and gave him the inappropriate finger before the cameras caught it. Right when the previous story finished airing, the cameras began rolling.

"And welcome back!" screamed Tidus with excitement. "We are here live with our lucky male and female interviewees. Could you please kindly introduce yourselves to everyone and tell us why you're here?"

Kairi turned to her fellow interviewee hoping that he could go first, but being the gentleman he was, he offered to let her start.

"I, um…" she cleared her throat. "I'm Kairi Lovelock. I'm here to fast track English for second year."

"I'm Sora Hikari," he said in a confident, playful voice. "I'm here because… well, my mother gave birth to me. Isn't that obvious?" The audience of crewmembers offstage laughed.

"Oh, I see we have a comedian," commented Tidus, sending a small wink at Kairi. Funny. Definitely Kairi's type.

Sora rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm actually here for the same reason as the lovely Ms. Lovelock here. English, room 316, Ms. Branford."

Kairi tried to keep her blush hidden at his first comment.

"316, huh? That's right across Kairi's class," informed Tidus.

"Yes," Kairi said through gritted teeth. He was being atrociously obvious. "It is."

Tidus chuckled lightly. "So, Sora, how old are you?"

"Old enough," he said with a wink. More laughter. "I turn fifteen in two months," he then answered seriously.

"So Kairi, is your hair naturally red or do you dye it?" asked Wakka.

"It's natural," she answered. Sora sprawled both his arms across the couch and widened his eyes.

"Whoa, seriously?" he asked. Kairi nodded with a reddening face. "That's… that's awesome. It looks really good on you."

"Thank you," she said, looking down at her knees. The crowd _ooh_'d suggestively.

"Sora, do you have a girlfriend?" Tidus suddenly asked.

This time it was the brunet who turned red. "Oh, wow. That. Um, no. I don't. I guess I haven't found the right girl yet." Kairi kept her head down, her hair acting as a curtain to hide her smile.

"What about you Kairi?" asked Wakka, "Is there a special man in your life?"

She felt Sora's eyes on her, rendering her paralyzed for a few seconds. "Well, um, other than my father, no. I don't have a 'special man'."

Tidus suddenly snapped his fingers. "Speaking of your father, did you guys know that Kairi's father is the mayor of Destiny Islands?" Cheers sounded from the audience. Sora whistled and clapped as well.

"So Sora, Kairi, do you have any siblings?" asked Wakka when the cheers died down.

"I'm an only child," replied Kairi.

"I have a brother," answered Sora, "a twin brother. His name's Roxas."

That explained the resemblance.

"Whoa, there's another Sora?" asked Tidus, wide-eyed. "Are you identical?"

"Yes. Though I'm older by six minutes," he said proudly. "And obviously handsomer," he added with a wink. Whistles and cheers followed.

"So do you guys have like… twin telepathy or something?" asked Wakka.

"We actually tried that when we were kids," started Sora. "When we were around four or something, we'd stand on opposite sides of a door, cover our eyes and try to guess the colour the other one was thinking of."

"Did any of you get it right?"

"No," Sora answered with a laugh. "Roxas was always thinking of weird colours like bluebell, silver strand and periwinkle. How the heck was I supposed to guess _periwinkle_ at four years old?" The audience (Kairi inclusive) let out a laugh.

"Sora, if you don't mind us asking, what are you?" asked Tidus. "You have this distinct look about you that I can't quite decipher."

"I'm waysian. Half-white, half-asian. Half Italian, half Japanese," he answered.

"Italian, huh? Can you speak it?" asked Wakka.

Sora rocked his head left and right with a sour face. "Kinda. I speak fluent Japanese and English, though."

"Well, can you speak the little bit of Italian that you do know?" requested Tidus.

"Spaghetti, gelato, ciao," Sora said in an atrociously heavy accent with hand gestures. The audience found it highly entertaining. "I actually know a few more. Uh, grazie? I believe that's thank you. Mi chiamo Sora. My name is Sora. Um… per favore is please and…" He looked straight into Kairi's eyes for the first time. It was the ocean waves all over again. "Bella. That means, uh…" he cleared his throat and turned away. "Beautiful."

She too turned away the instant he said it.

"I, uh… also know a few songs, but I don't like singing in public," Sora muttered.

"You sing?" Tidus asked with a smirk. He knew Kairi was a sucker for a guy who was musically talented.

Sora nodded, his face still red. "I'm all right. I'm better on the guitar."

"You play the guitar?" Tidus asked, louder this time so Kairi could hear. "Kairi plays the guitar, too." She pretended to rub her eye using her middle finger.

Sora's ears perked up. "Oh? How long have you been playing?"

"Around two years… I'm better on the ukulele though," she said nervously.

"I've always wanted to learn how to play the ukulele," he said, a confident smile on his face again. "You'll have to teach me some time."

She smiled back. "Sure."

She paid no mind to Tidus' obnoxious coughing in the background.

The remainder of the interview went smoothly. Jokes were exchanged, information was given and stories were told. Kairi was surprised to see that regardless of all the awkward moments in the beginning, she actually found herself comfortable around Sora. Tidus and Wakka seemed to approve of him, too. He was sociable, playful, and had irresistible charm. He carried himself well and was easy to get along with. He was secure.

And totally Kairi's type.

So when he walked her back to class with idle conversation, she desperately wished that he didn't remember their rather embarrassing meeting the night prior. That way, they could start over without him thinking that she was a freak.

"Hey," he suddenly said, "I know this might sound weird, but you look kind of familiar, Kairi."

She tried not to let her fear show. "I highly doubt that we've met before, Sora."

He tried not to shudder at the way she said his name. It was utter perfection in its greatest form.

"Are you sure?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded unconvincingly. "All right," he sighed. He looked somewhat disappointed when he grasped the handle of his classroom door. "I'll see you around, Kairi."

"See you," she said right across the hall. "It was nice meeting you."

He smiled. "Likewise." He walked in first. When the door shut behind him, she released a breath that even she was unaware of holding. She took a deep breath before grabbing the doorknob of her own class, but before her fingers even touched the cold metal, she heard a door creak open from behind her.

It was Sora.

With a whiteboard in hand.

_Her _whiteboard.

"Excuse me, but I believe this belongs to you," he said with a smug look. She accepted it but was too shocked to reply. He knew. He knew all along.

It was when the door shut behind him that she returned to reality. She shook her head and looked down at the narrow board. He wrote something.

_Don't worry; I don't think you're a freak._

Slowly but surely, she smiled. It was the nicest thing she'd never heard.

* * *

At lunch, Selphie couldn't contain her bothersome giggling.

"What is so funny?" asked an annoyed Kairi, mouth half-full of PB&J.

"You," she replied, still giggling.

"What about me?"

"It's so obvious that you're crushing on that Sora guy."

The redhead dropped her sandwich. "_What_?" she asked in rage. Heads turned in the cafeteria. She waved them off. When the attention was no longer on the two, Kairi asked in an angry whisper, "How is that even possible? I've known the guy for _fifteen minutes_!"

"Love at first sight?" suggested Selphie. Kairi rolled her eyes. "Besides, it's so totally obvious that he's crushing back, too." Before Kairi could start spazzing out again, Tidus joined their table.

"Hello ladies," he greeted. He sent a wink at Kairi as he took his seat. "So how about that Sora guy? Pretty dreamy, huh?"

Selphie high-fived him. "You did good, Tidy-Widy."

"I know right?" he asked rhetorically, paying no mind to his embarrassing nickname. "Actually, I had nothing to do with the names. Honest. That was just luck. But it totally made up for their rather unfortunate incident last night, right?"

Poor Tidus had to clean peanut butter and jelly off his face that afternoon.

* * *

For the next two weeks, Kairi couldn't keep her mind off the boy across the hallway. Every time their classes were released for a fifteen-minute break, she'd catch him smiling and waving at her when they locked eyes. Particularly today, though, she noticed something different. He was chatting with the same girl with stylish ebony hair as usual (more like she was chatting with him; she was sorry to say that he didn't look the least bit interested in the conversation), but in the middle of it all, he looked right at her. The smile was still evident on his face, but his eyes showed some kind of longing that she couldn't quite place. He looked fine when socializing with his friends, but when it was her, things changed. His smile said one thing, but his eyes said another.

"My brother can't shut up about you," said Roxas when he took his seat next to her after lunch.

Kairi blushed and rested her reddening cheeks on the palm of her hand. "I'm sure he's referring to someone else."

"And I'm sure you're the only one with natural red hair around here," he replied, smiling. Her silence was enough to entertain him.

"Good afternoon class," greeted Ms. Farren. The class lazily gave their replies. Ms. Farren was young teacher in her mid-twenties or so. Her eyes were a mirthful green, her hair a deep, chestnut brown. She was fresh out of teacher's college and a delight to learn from. "As most of you have noticed, our class is fairly small. Ms. Branford right across the hall, however, has too many students." Kairi's heart skipped a beat. She knew where this was going. "And since Ms. Branford and I share the same lesson plans, a few students from her class have volunteered to transfer to ours."

The next day, Sora occupied the empty seat to her right.

* * *

She couldn't speak to him at first. She was too shy, too embarrassed. It wasn't until they were in the middle of a lesson two days later that he initiated some conversation.

"You know," he whispered, leaning over to her desk, "if you give me a valid reason for running off, I'll understand. For example, if I was somewhat unattractive, you can't say that. It's _invalid_."

She tried her hardest not to laugh. He broke the ice quite easily. "Maybe you were being unattractive," she whispered in return, her attention still placed on the note Ms. Farren was writing on the board.

"Come on, Kairi," he said, sounding desperate. She put down her pen and sighed.

"I couldn't speak," she answered.

"My beauty does have that effect on people," he teased.

Kairi waved her hands in front of her face manically. "No, no! Well, I wouldn't know. I couldn't really _see_, for one. And secondly, I just came from the dentist. He shot three syringes in my mouth. My lips were numb and I couldn't speak properly for hours. Is that valid enough for you?"

"I… certainly wasn't expecting _that_," he answered, "but yes."

"Can you two please stop flirting?" asked an irritated Axel from behind. "I can literally _feel_ the sexual tension from here. I'm actually trying to learn, so please." He dodged the erasers thrown at him.

"So how did you know it was me?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Look at me," he demanded softly. She did, trying to keep her blush hidden. "It's as I thought. No one has eyes like you, Kairi. I could see them in the dark."

"I could say the same for you," she whispered. Axel groaned from behind. "So if you remembered who I was, why did you act like we were complete strangers on the show?"

His chuckling was music to her ears. "How creepy would it be if I told the entire school that we met in a dark cave? Do you know how the teenage brain works? I didn't want to make you look bad."

"Oh," she tucked some hair behind her left ear and gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you."

He began to rub the back of his neck. "No prob-"

"Mr. Hikari," called Ms. Farren from the front of the classroom. Everyone's eyes were on him. "Could you kindly tell us what happened in act 4, scene 3 of _Macbeth_?"

"With pleasure," he said with distaste. "Um…" he rubbed his chin, trying to recall the scene they had read only five minutes ago. He was too busy marveling at Kairi's hair from his peripheral vision to pay attention at the time. Desperately, he looked at the redheaded beauty that occupied his mind, hoping that she would give him the answer. Luckily for him, she mouthed the answer. He grinned.

"Macduff has been tested," he answered.

"By whom?" she asked, still unconvinced that he was paying attention.

"Malcolm," he answered, "because he was just testing his loyalty to Scotland." He actually knew the answer that time. Kairi made silent clapping motions. He placed his hands on his hips proudly.

"Good," said Ms. Farren, "but please try to refrain from being…" For a split second, she looked at Kairi. "… _distracted_ in my class next time."

Roxas and Axel snickered.

* * *

The first time they make physical contact, he teaches her how to tie her shoes.

That particular day, Axel was truant, so Sora occupied the seat behind her, hoping to get a better view of her perfectly straight claret hair. No matter how many times he looked at it, he couldn't wrap his head around the fact that the colour was natural. The red reminded him not of blood, but of red velvet cupcakes. He loved red velvet cupcakes.

"Stupid," she muttered under her breath. She raised one knee to the air and placed her foot on the edge of her chair for support. Impatiently, she quadruple knotted her shoelaces. That was the fifth time he'd seen her do that all morning. He placed a hand over his mouth and suppressed his giggles at the adorable way her face would scrunch up in frustration each time.

After lunch, her laces came undone again. Sora scanned the classroom when he walked in. They were the first two to arrive. No teasing Roxas. No teacher. Perfect.

He took the seat behind her and watched her fumble with her laces again. And although he was being sadistic about it earlier, he couldn't bare to watch her suffer any longer, so he stood from his seat and casually knelt before her.

"Tie it around your ankle first," he said. He placed her fashionable purple shoe on his knee and tied it like so. The whole time, she was silent. Paralyzed. She felt like Cinderella. When he finished with the first, she thanked him nervously and moved on to tie the next, but their hands arrived at her shoe at the exact same time. It felt like lightning followed by placid rain. Then suddenly, as if his hand felt like fire, Kairi withdrew hers from his touch.

"Sorry," he said, slightly embarrassed, "am I making you uncomfortable?"

"No," she responded quickly: A little too quickly for her tastes. "It's just… it's nice. What you did. I like it. It's stylish. I just… didn't want to seem like a princess with you tying my shoes like that. I can do it, you know."

"I know you're completely capable of tying your shoes," he said, smirking, "but I've seen you do it way too many times today. Just let me this once. I just can't… watch you suffer like that anymore."

He only meant to tease her, but if Kairi was in any sort of pain- _real_ pain, that is- he didn't think he could bear to watch it after all.

* * *

Their first normal interaction outside of school happened the following week. What seemed like a harmless swimming competition at the time became another reason for Sora to gain interest in his redheaded classmate.

"Is that Kairi?" Roxas asked when he took his seat next to his brother on the bleachers. Sora squinted, trying to figure it out himself. Sure enough there was a girl with hair the colour of red velvet cupcakes tying her hair into a high ponytail at the edge of the Olympic sized pool, undoubtedly identifying her as the Kairi he knew.

"It is," he breathed. He didn't see that coming. He only came to support Tidus in the male division.

"She's hot," commented Axel. Sora whacked him in the back of the head. "What? We were all thinking it."

"Hello boys," said a familiar high-pitched voice. The girl took the empty seat beside Roxas on the edge.

"Selphie," greeted Sora, "you didn't tell me that Kairi was in the competition, too."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sora," she said. Her facial expression read that she wasn't sorry at all. "I wasn't aware that you were fascinated with Kairi." Sora fell silent as the boys snickered.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen," said the announcer through his microphone, "and welcome to the annual Destiny Islands swimming tournament!" Cheers and whistles sounded from the bleachers that curved to form a circle. Swimming was something to take pride in on Destiny Islands, hence the countless bleachers, fancy arena and plentiful supporters. "Today we'll start off with the female division and end with the top three finalists from both the male and female division."

"That hardly sounds fair," complained Roxas. "Boys versus girls? Is that how you've always done things here?"

"You'd be surprised when you see how fast our girls are," chuckled Selphie. Sora had a hunch she was talking about a certain classmate of his. He shivered in anticipation.

"Let the tournament…" the announcer paused for dramatic effect. "… begin!" A horn sounded throughout the circular arena and the first set of girls readied themselves on the edge of the pool in their respective lanes. Sora memorized Kairi as the girl before the lane that read 7 on the bottom tiles.

Suddenly, a rectangular hologram screen appeared before every person in the audience. While it startled Axel and the twins, Selphie treated it like no big deal and sipped on her iced tea nonchalantly.

"What's this?" asked Axel, feeling noobish.

"A close-up view on the race," Selphie replied, keeping her mouth around the rim of her straw. She selected _Girls Division_ and twelve numbered rectangles appeared to the left of her screen, each with a headshot picture of the girls currently participating in the race. Their last name was written just below their picture in different colours.

Under lane 7 read _Lovelock_ in fluorescent pink with Kairi's picture. To the right of her picture was a pink dot that represented her position on the pool. She, along with all the other dots, was on the starting end. Roxas clicked on Kairi's picture and was taken to a different page. To the left of the screen were Kairi's stats: name, age, gender, lane number, birth date, etc. To the right was a close-up view of Kairi getting ready to dive.

"Whoa, we get to close up on girls in swimsuits?" asked Axel in awe. He began clicking on every girl's name. "I love this world."

"What does the number on the bottom represent?" asked Roxas. Under Kairi's stats was a fast growing number.

"How many people are betting on her," replied Selphie. Everyone around her was betting on Kairi's page. She clicked _Place Bet_ on her screen as well.

"There's over 500 and still growing," said a shocked Sora, watching his brother's screen. Sora found it almost impossible that all these people were betting on Kairi. She was the smallest and youngest among her competitors. The rest of the girls looked much more muscular and intimidating.

"You're about to see why," giggled Selphie. Sora shrugged and placed a bet on Kairi as well.

Another horn sounded, this time signaling the ten-second countdown.

"Round one, set one, girls division, front crawl. Racers, get ready," said a female voice from the speakers.

A large 10 appeared on everyone's screen and began counting down. The instant it was finished, Kairi dove into the pool and sped her way to the other side. From beginning to end, the pink dot was in the lead by a landslide. Sora lost all feeling in his arms and legs and even dropped his can of Pepsi. She won within a minute and twenty-something seconds. People stood and cheered for her victory. _Lovelock_ was at the top of the rankings for round 1 with the fastest time.

"That was incredible," clapped Roxas, joining the crowd in chanting her name. Sora was too shocked and wide-eyed to move.

Within half an hour, Kairi managed to place first in the girls division. She was awarded with a trophy and prize munny on the highest podium. Sora cheered his heart out. She, along with two other resentful girls, advanced to the finals against the boys.

Another half hour crowned Tidus second in the male division and some bulky boy named Seifer Almasy as first. The two, along with Wakka who placed third, advanced to the finals.

"You should join this next year, Sora," said Roxas, elbowing his brother playfully.

"Oh? You swim?" asked Selphie, a smirk playing at her lips.

"I'm okay," he said modestly.

Kairi's number of bets lowered for the final round, but they were still high, nonetheless. Sora confidently placed a bet for her again.

"Final round, final set, co-ed division, front crawl. Racers, get ready," informed the female voice again. By the time the countdown was at 5, everyone was on the edge of their seats. The horn sounded. Sora's heart raced as he watched Kairi dive into the pool. The blue dot, representing Seifer, was in the lead, but Kairi wasn't far behind him. By the time the racers tumbled and changed directions, Kairi was in the lead.

Sora took this time to turn away from the screen and watch her for real. She was majestic. Inhuman. Seifer's movements were vigorous and fast, but hers were calm and slow. She was engulfed in her element. Sora nearly lost his breath.

Within thirty seconds, the turquoise dot (Tidus), not the pink one, reached the finish line first, and the whole arena burst into applause for Tidus' surprising victory. Sora was too busy admiring Kairi's form to even notice that the shaggy blond had gained in on her.

"She was so close!" whined Selphie as they exited the arena. Tidus, all showered and pampered, came out of the change rooms surrounded by paparazzi. He went to Selphie's side with a towel over his shoulder.

"What, you're not proud of me?" he asked, pouting.

Selphie posed for the cameras and got on her tippy toes to put her arm around Tidus' shoulders as a congratulatory gesture. "Good job, Tidus!" Sora chuckled and rolled his eyes at her façade.

When he turned around, he caught a certain redhead being interviewed about two meters away. She smiled, nodded and looked truly happy for her friend. Seifer, on the other hand, looked downright pissed.

"So Ms. Lovelock, how does it feel to win first in the female division again?" asked a reporter.

_Again?_ Sora thought. He should've known.

"It's an incredible honour," she responded, trying not to look snobbish by modestly hiding her trophy behind her back. While she told the reporters about how she and Tidus shared the same coach, the boy named Seifer walked up to cameras and interrupted her, stealing the limelight. She looked scared of him. He didn't like it. Axel sensed this and pushed the brunet through the paparazzi, sending him straight into Kairi. He sent him a death stare before turning apologetically to Kairi.

"Hi," he said nervously. He tried to tune out the flashing cameras in the background. All the attention was on them now.

"Sora," she said, wide-eyed that he had made her feel safe. "Hello."

"Ms. Lovelock, is this your boyfriend?" the same reporter asked coyly.

"No!" they both screamed in unison.

"We're just classmates," said Kairi. It stung Sora a bit, but that was the reality. They'd only met two weeks ago. They were practically strangers.

_One day,_ Sora thought, _I'll change that._

"Ms. Kairi, can you please look in this direction?" asked a photographer.

Sora began to get out of the shot. "I should probably-"

"No, no!" said the photographer. "Stay. We'll get the rest of your friends in the shot, too. Hey, Tidus!" Tidus arrived with Selphie and Wakka in tow. They joined the picture without a moment's hesitation. Kairi positioned herself between Selphie and Tidus, but the blond shoved her aside.

"What are you _doing_?" he muttered. "Go beside Sora."

"What?" she asked, flabbergasted.

"You heard me. Now go. Shoo. You'll thank me for this later." Tidus made shooing motions in Sora's direction. Kairi growled before complying. She and Tidus occupied the middle, flashing their trophies straight at the camera. Sora was now to her right.

"Compress, please," ordered the photographer. He motioned for Sora to move closer to Kairi. He ended up putting an arm around her waist, causing the redhead to be as still as a statue even when the photo had already been taken.

"Good job today, Kai," complimented Tidus.

Once her circulation went back to normal she smiled and nodded. "You, too. Congratulations."

"You're getting better every year. You might even beat me next year," he said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Maybe," she teased, nudging his elbow.

"I should go," he suddenly said.

"What? We still have to celebrate!"

"Oh, I know. I'll meet you at the ice cream parlor later, but for now, I should leave. Sora's been looking in this direction for way too long, waiting for me to leave so he can make his move," he said, snickering.

"Tidus!" she whined, watching him leave as he cackled. She sighed and slumped her shoulders. Sure enough, Sora was at her side five seconds later.

"Hi," he greeted with a friendly smile.

"You said that already," she said, reciprocating the smile while tucking some hair behind her left ear. He apologized and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Don't worry, Sora. I'm just making fun. So, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?"

"Originally I was here for Tidus, but now I see that I had another reason to be here," he answered. "Why didn't you tell me you were such a good swimmer?" She shrugged, a blush slowly forming on her cheeks. "You were so fast, yet your arms and legs were barely moving."

"Swimming isn't about how fast you can move your arms and legs. It's about form, strength, pull, and resistance," she said as if she'd recited it a thousand times before. "That's why I managed to pass Seifer halfway through. He may be stronger than I am, but I have a better pull and more resistance." She took in his confused expression and chuckled. "Did you understand what I just said?"

"I did, actually," he said. "It's just impressive."

"Oh? So you know how to swim?" she asked, a smirk playing at her lips.

"I'm all right," he answered. "You could probably beat me."

"I probably could," she answered haughtily, teasing him. "We should try racing some time." He willingly agreed.

"Kairi!" Selphie called from afar. She was waiting by a sleek, black Beemer.

"My mom's here," she said, double checking her bag if she had everything. When she was finished, she locked eyes with Sora and smiled. "So I guess I'll…"

"See you in school?" he finished with a nod. She nodded back and started towards the car, waving goodbye in the process. Sora sighed in relief. Their conversation had gone quite smoothly for his tastes. He returned to Roxas in a happy mood, but still craved to know more about his redheaded mystery.

When Kairi opened the front door to the car, Selphie was already in the back, snickering. After congratulating her and taking her things to the trunk, her mom asked, "Who was the boy you were talking to?"

"Tidus," Kairi lied.

"No," said her mother, already suspicious. "The one with the brown hair. I've never seen him around before. He a friend of yours?"

"Um, no. We're just classmates. His name's Sora," answered Kairi.

"He's funny, Mrs. Lovelock," winked Selphie in the back seat.

"He's _handsome_," teased Kairi's mother.

"_Mom_," Kairi whined. Her mother and best friend teased her the whole way home.

* * *

When their group picture made the front page of _Destiny Weekly_ the following day, Kairi got a headache from Selphie and Tidus' endless teasing about Sora's arm around her waist.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" Sora suddenly asked the following week.

"Shoot," said Kairi, tapping her pencil on the edge of her desk. Lately she and Sora had been the only ones attending class. While majority of the class dropped out to enjoy their summer, Axel and Roxas formed a band with some senior dropouts and called themselves _The Oathkeepers_, leaving only Sora, Kairi and Ms. Farren in the classroom. Ms. Farren didn't really mind with the pay and her love for teaching.

"Promise you won't get mad?"

"Why would I get mad?"

"It's kind of… private," he whispered.

Kairi sighed. "A period normally lasts five to seven days-"

"No!" he interrupted, slightly disturbed. "I wasn't going to… augh. Thanks. Unwanted mental images tormenting my brain now."

Kairi chuckled. "Sorry. What did you really want to ask?"

He rested his chin on the palm of his hand and mumbled, "I saw your dad on the news this morning. He was giving a speech of some sort. Your mom was there, too, and… no offense, but… you look nothing like them."

She turned to him with confusion in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Just forget it."

"No, it's just…" she looked at him strangely. "Why does it fascinate you?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I find you… interesting, that's all." She continued to stare. "I mean, your hair is naturally red, you can't tie your shoes properly, your secret hideout is a cave, you're brilliant in school, you're a surprisingly amazing swimmer and you're the mayor's down to earth, carefree daughter. In all honesty, I expected you to be a snob when I found out you were the mayor's daughter: an airhead who complained that her father didn't get her a car for her sweet sixteen birthday. But you're nothing like that. You're modest, fun loving, and pretty… inside and out. I guess I just… want to know the rest of you." Then Sora froze, refusing to believe that he just revealed everything he'd been thinking about for the past few weeks. He must've sounded like some creepy lunatic.

"All right," she said, fighting a blush and leaning toward him. "Fair enough. I'll tell you why I look nothing like my parents under one condition."

"Shoot," he said, mimicking her.

"Let _me_ learn more about _you_," she countered. "We're the only two in this class now," came her excuse, "might as well get to know each other."

"Sounds fair," he agreed. Secretly, he was giddy and flattered inside. She wanted to learn about him, too. Progress had been made that day. They were one step away from strangers.

"The reason I don't look like my parents is because I'm adopted," she answered.

"Oh," was all Sora said. An awkward silence fell in between them. "I'm sorry, I… I didn't know. Is this a sensitive topic for you?"

Kairi shook her head no, but Sora didn't want to dwell on the subject.

"All right, my turn," she said, smirking. It scared him a bit, but he didn't admit it to her face. "Why did you lie about your birthday on facebook?"

He raised an eyebrow. "How did you know when my real birthday was?"

"I take the attendance sheet down everyday. It has all our birthdays recorded. And…" she rubbed her elbow, suddenly embarrassed. "When we first met, during fifteen minutes of fame, you told Tidus that you were turning fifteen two months from then. Your birthday is on the 7th of August. On facebook, you put July 8. Why did you do that?"

"I value friendship," came his swift reply. "Only my true friends would know when my real birthday is. Roxas does it, too. I know it's kind of mean for those who are nice enough to greet you a happy birthday, but I want to know who really knows and cares about me."

"That's weird," Kairi stated bluntly. "But brilliant," she added in a British accent.

"Why thank you," he said in an equally pathetic accent.

"Another question," she said. "I never did ask you this, but… how did you know about the cave at Tidus' party?"

"Oh," he ran a hand through his unruly spikes. "I was born here. When I was a child, Roxas and I used to draw in that cave all the time."

"So it was you?" she asked, slightly surprised. "When Tidus, Selphie and I first found that place, we were wondering who already drew on the walls."

"Now you know," he winked. "I'm sure you find my mediocre drawings sexy."

"Very," she replied, giggling.

While the two continued to idly chitchat, Ms. Farren, with her back turned to them and her face to the board, smiled.

* * *

She was invited to his house that weekend to finish an English assignment. Their two-storey bungalow, much like Kairi had expected, had the Destiny Islands loft feel. It looked welcoming and homey. It was a nice change from the mansion she returned to every afternoon. Roxas, surprisingly, was the one who answered the door for her.

"Who enters my domain?" he asked darkly, rubbing helplessly at his sleepy eyes. His hair was a mess, he was still in his pajamas and he answered the door mid-yawn. Clearly he had just gotten out of bed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Roxas," she apologized. His hands immediately left his face as he stood up straight like a true gentlemen. "Did I wake you?"

"Kairi!" he screamed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you! Come in, come in. I should've waked up earlier. Sora told me you were coming. Sorry. Whoa. This is really awkward. Sorry I look like a mess." He began pacing in embarrassment, knocking straight into Kairi who dropped her bag on the floor. "Oops. I'm-"

"You don't have to be sorry," she chuckled, kneeling down to gather her things. She had never seen Roxas so embarrassed. She found it highly entertaining.

"Hey," he suddenly said, picking up her wallet that had fallen open. "This is a nice picture," he complimented, pointing at the picture in the largest slot. It was of Kairi and a blonde unidentifiable girl smiling on a beach. "Where was this?"

"Twilight Town," she answered, not minding that he had invaded some of her privacy. "They have beautiful beaches there. That's my cousin Namine beside me." She didn't bother telling him that she was agoraphobic. The chances of them ever meeting was slim to none.

"She's pretty," he mumbled, handing back the wallet. As Kairi leaned forward to accept it, she lost balance and ended up falling on top of him.

"Hey, Roxas, have you seen my English binder with-" he stopped midway down the stairs, taking in the scene before him. He cocked his head to the side, slightly furrowing his eyebrows. She caught his upper lip twitch.

"Hey, Sora," greeted Roxas casually, helping Kairi to her feet. "I'll leave you two be now." The younger Hikari bounded up the staircase as if absolutely nothing had happened. Sora, now lacking the usual bounce in his step and friendly demeanor, walked down the steps calmly and eerily quietly.

"Hello," he greeted in a hushed tone.

"Hello," she repeated awkwardly.

"Come sit." He continued to use his hushed voice as he led her to the living room to explain why his mother wasn't home. "She's out for some errands. She'll be back in around three hours." She didn't ask about his father. He had already told her the day prior that they didn't get along well. "Shall we get started?"

Getting right down to schoolwork. That was absolutely nothing like Sora.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, taking the seat next to him on the red couch. Their house was designed much like the set of _Fifteen Minutes of Fame,_ only much bigger and better.

"No, of course not," he said through gritted teeth.

"All right," she sung, letting the subject drop. For two hours they worked diligently on their project until Roxas insisted that they take a break. He was kind enough to bring them some snacks and freshly squeezed orange juice in a neat, assorted tray.

"Thank you, Roxas," said Kairi as he poured her a cup. She accepted it with a gracious smile. He returned it.

Sora cleared his throat, feeling neglected. "Roxas, don't you have to do the assignment, too?"

He shrugged. "Axel said he'd be here an hour ago to work on it."

"Then why don't you get out of the house and go to his?" Sora suggested more curtly than intended. Roxas smirked at him. That's when the puzzle pieces came together for Kairi.

Could Sora possibly be… jealous?

Kairi dismissed the thought regardless of the fact that she found it kind of cute.

"Can I trust you to be home alone with a girl, Sora?" asked Roxas with a cheeky smile. Kairi's face turned the same shade as her hair.

"I'm practically fifteen," he pointed out.

"All the more reason I should be skeptical," Roxas countered.

"Do you really think I'm going to pull a move on the mayor's daughter?" asked Sora. It wasn't meant to be personal, but Kairi somewhat believed it was. She hid her discomfort far better than her partner did.

"I don't see why not," came a seductive voice from the doorway. Leaning against the doorframe was Axel, playing with his favourite lighter. He let himself in as if the house were his second home. "Come on, Roxas. Let's finish this stupid assignment thing at Demyx's house. We can jam with the band when we're done."

"I don't know, Axel," teased Roxas. "I don't trust my brother." Sora groaned and just begged the two to leave.

"Sora's a good boy. I think we can trust him to be alone with a girl," said the pyromaniac.

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that," came a feminine voice from behind Axel. He turned to come face to face with the twins' mother.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Hikari," greeted Axel. For once, Kairi heard him sound _polite_. So he did have manners.

Kairi immediately stood from the couch, ready to greet the twins' mother. Her parents were strict about being polite, respectful, and friendly. Whenever her father had guests over from different worlds, he was hell bent on making sure that she personally greeted them and introduced herself.

When Axel stepped aside to let Mrs. Hikari through, Kairi was almost at a loss for words. She was beautiful, and the resemblance was almost scary. The twins had undoubtedly inherited her chocolate brown hair and laser blue eyes. She looked rather young to be the mother of fifteen-year-old twins, but then again, Kairi's foster mother was pretty young, too.

"You must be Kairi," she said, smoothing out her yellow sundress before offering her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you in person. You're as beautiful as Sora described."

"_Mom_," Sora whined.

Kairi took her hand with a nervous chuckle. "Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Hikari. You're as sweet as Sora described."

"_Kairi!_" whined Sora again.

"Sora told me you placed first in the girls' division in the tournament. Congratulations," said Mrs. Hikari.

"Mom, stop making it sound like I talk about her all the time," begged Sora.

"But you _do_-" Roxas was interrupted by a couch pillow to the face.

"Are you hungry?" the woman asked. "Dinner will be ready in about half an hour."

"Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Hikari, but I'm going to have to decline. I have to be home soon," informed Kairi. As if on cue, a familiar car horn honked from the edge of the premises.

"Well, it was lovely meeting you, Kairi," said Mrs. Hikari.

"Likewise," the redhead returned. She gave Roxas and Axel friendly high-fives, but when she came to Sora, she hesitated. She wasn't sure whether to give him a strictly platonic hug or a high five. She selected the latter to dismiss any signs of favoritism and left after thanking everyone and saying goodbye one last time.

When Mrs. Hikari shut the door behind her, she smiled at her oldest son.

"What?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"She'd make a lovely daughter-in-law," chuckled his mother.

"_Mom_!"

* * *

"Augh," Selphie groaned the following week, rubbing at the sides of her head. "Can you just _admit it already_?"

After waving goodbye to Sora with a giggle, Kairi put down her tray of food and took the seat adjacent from her best friend. Tidus occupied the one across from them a second later with Wakka to his right.

"Admit what?" Kairi asked, innocently taking a bite out of her sandwich.

"Admit that you want to _bang_ him," joked Tidus. Kairi rolled her eyes but returned to smiling like an idiot a moment later.

"Oh man. There it is. The _smile_," observed Selphie. "You've been wearing that smile on your face ever since he transferred into your class. Not that I'm glad to see you happy all the time, but I can't help but wonder… what do you learn in class? Each other?"

"Why does everything have to be about sex with you guys?" chuckled Kairi. "Can't you just accept what is? That life is good?"

"I'll accept what is if you do," came Selphie's ultimatum. "You're a happy girl, Kairi. That, I understand. But lately…"

"You've been happier, yeah?" finished Wakka. Kairi shook her head. The idea of her liking him was preposterous. They were only classmates. Maybe even friends. Summer school would be over in a week, and the instant it was over, it was likely that they wouldn't be seeing much of each other anymore. He told her that he came from Eden. If he was a transfer, he'd be gone within the next month or so. The thought secretly made her weak.

* * *

"Dude, just do it."

"I can't."

"You _can_."

"I _can't_."

"It's so simple."

"It's _difficult_."

Roxas sighed in exasperation and picked up the phone. "You can ride a bike without holding onto the handlebars, sing One Direction songs in public without a care in the world, do three tumbles in the air before landing perfectly into a pool from a diving board and ride on almost every roller coaster that can send anyone into cardiac arrest but you can't _call a girl and ask her to hang out_?"

"What if she's busy?" Sora pointed out.

"Summer school is _over_. What could she possibly be busy with?"

"She's the mayor's daughter, you know. She could be doing some official business or whatever. Or what if she doesn't want to hang out with me? What if there's some guy I don't know about? What if she's actually engaged-"?

"It's these _what if's_ that keep people from taking risks. Regardless of how big or small, there's still a chance that things will go your way, you know. Just do it," said Roxas. He waved the phone before his brother, taunting him. "You're a phone call away, man. Just dial the number."

Two weeks later, the biggest regret of his life was not taking the phone from Roxas that day.

* * *

He thinks he _might_ have a crush on her when Tidus invites them all to his house for his birthday. He's relieved to finally see her again after what seemed like year when, in reality, it had only been two painfully agonizing weeks.

When he entered the house, Sora soon came to realize that Tidus' basement was _the_ epitome of awesomeness complete with a soda bar, 100-inch HD plasma screen, surround sound speakers, a pinball machine, a foosball table, an air hockey table, countless game systems and shelves and shelves of video games. Outside was the pool, slide, and hot tub.

"Dude. No fucking way." Sora took three steps forward and fell to his knees. Before him was a display of an Iron Man suit behind a thick sheet of glass.

"It gets even better," said Tidus. Excitedly, the blond clicked a button on the side. The suit lit up and came to life.

"Tidus my man, your parents must be freaking hit men," said Sora, still on his knees in disbelief.

"SUPER SMASH BROS!" yelled someone from the gaming center. Sora was on the couch within seconds.

"Gentlemen, step aside. Let a real player through," demanded a familiar voice. Sora almost fell off the armrest when he realized that it was Kairi. Majority of the boys offered her their controllers and somewhat bowed in respect.

"Ms. Kairi, I am not worthy of this controller in your presence," joked one of the boys, handing her his controller.

"Kairi?" Sora squeaked, pulling on his collar. "You play video games?" She nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Sora just about died.

The crush was officially on.

She was sporty, spontaneous, talented, and deadly smart.

And now, she was a gamer.

Someone should pinch him. It wasn't legal to be _that_ turned on. He thought he was in love.

"You must be an alien," he concluded when she had won over ten games in half an hour. Currently the two were taking a leisurely stroll by the pool with only the pool lights and the moon as their source of light. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked at night.

"That's flattering," she said sarcastically with a smile. After finishing another lap around the pool, Sora suggested that they go for a quick swim.

"What, now?" Kairi asked incredulously.

"Why not?" he asked, removing his shirt in the process. Kairi looked in the opposite direction to prevent herself from doing something irrational. When she heard a splash, she found Sora afloat on the deep end. She tried not to focus on how adorable he looked with his hair down. "Come on, Kairi. You do owe me a race, after all."

After many attempts of convincing her to get in the water, Sora ended up losing the argument.

"Fine, fine, you win," he admitted, arms raised in surrender. "At least help me up, will you?" She walked toward the edge of the pool and offered her hand to help him up. She realized it was a mistake the instant his hand grabbed hers. "Smart move, Iri."

"No, Sora, no!" she begged. But it was futile. She was soaking wet within two seconds time. The instant her head surfaced, she wasn't whining about her clothes like Sora expected. Instead, she only smirked at him.

"What?" he asked, sounding somewhat scared.

"Race you to the end!" she suddenly screamed. With that, she had a good five-second head start.

"Hey! That's not fair!" he yelled, swimming after her.

"You're pretty fast," concluded Kairi was they sat on the edge of the pool, panting. He tried not to think of how hot she looked when her hair was wet or how tight her clothes had become on her. "No one's got up to my shoulder after a head start before."

"But you're wearing _clothes_," he pointed out. "It's much harder to swim in those- _especially_ denim. You must be a water bender or something, I swear."

"S-something like that," she agreed, vigorously rubbing at her arms.

"Are you cold?" he asked, catching on to her body language.

"I'm f-fine," she stammered.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked, a teasing smirk on his face. "You're _f-fine_?" She frowned at his mockery. "Come on. I'll get you a towel."

"No!" she declined a little too quickly for her tastes. "It's… you…" It was then that she noticed his body glistening wet in the moonlight. He wasn't as skinny as she originally expected. His arms were starting to gain some muscle and his abs were lightly toned. She blushed and found interest in her knees. She lost her train of thought. Curse her teenage hormones.

"I'm sexy and I know it!" suddenly sang an off-tune tenor voice from behind them. It was Axel, making very inappropriate pelvic thrusts in their direction. In shock, the two fell into the pool.

Sora, completely aware of his surroundings, opened his eyes and lost his breath. Kairi's skin glowed underwater, and he wasn't just saying that because of the pool lights. Her hair, much like his, was sprawled in every direction, stealing his breath even more. It wasn't until she opened her purple blue eyes that she stole something more than his breath. They stayed that way for a while, suspended in the water, gazing into each other's eyes until the sound of laughter from above caught their attention. On the surface, teens at the doorway leading to the basement doubled over in laughter.

"That was _perfect_," Tidus guffawed, holding what seemed to be a cup of Quash in hand. "Best dare _ever_!"

"Thank you, thank you," Axel bowed. Sora pulled on the pyromaniac's leg, sending him into a watery nightmare. More laughter.

"Axel!" Roxas cried, jumping in for the save.

"Come on," said Sora, taking Kairi by the wrist and helping up her shivering figure. "Let's get you warmed up."

Five minutes later, when they were alone in the backyard, Sora turned on the circular campfire by the lounge in the upper deck. He was afraid that if he asked her to get in the hot tub, she'd get the wrong idea of his intentions.

"Better?" he asked, covering her with a towel. He then took the seat beside her on the bench.

"Much, thank you," she said, smiling. Already colour was starting to return to her face. She used the fire as an excuse for her blush when, in truth, it was because she appreciated Sora's concern for her.

They spent a few minutes in a comfortable silence, looking up at the stars until Kairi had an idea. "Sora, stand up for a second." Confused, he obeyed. She did the same. She lifted a lid on the bench and cheered when she pulled out an acoustic guitar.

"Would you like to go first or shall I?" she asked.

"You, definitely," he answered immediately.

"Any requests?" Then with a teasing smile, she asked, "I don't suppose you know One Direction, do you?"

"Oh my _gosh_," he started, flicking his wrist. "Liam is _so hot_ and Harry has like the best voice _ever_!" Then purposely off-tune, he began screaming, "BABY YOU LIGHT UP MY WORLD LIKE NOBODY ELSE-" She busted out laughing before he finished. It wasn't until their laughter died down and that Kairi began strumming soft chords that he said something that surprised them both.

"Kairi, can I be completely honest with you?" he asked.

"Haven't you always been?"

"Well," he started, rubbing the back of his head nervously. _What if she gets weirded out? What if she never speaks to me after this? What if-_

He suddenly remembered Roxas.

"_It's these _what if's_ that keep people from taking risks. Regardless of how big or small, there's still a chance that things will go your way, you know. Just do it."_

He took a deep breath. Whether she took romantically or platonically, it didn't matter to him. He just wanted her to know. She deserved to.

"I've missed you," he whispered.

She was still at first. It frightened him. But when she smiled, his erratic heartbeat began to calm.

"I've missed you, too," she said. "But-"

_Not the but,_ thought Sora fearfully.

"Why?" she asked in a barely audible whisper.

"Oh," was all he could muster. He gulped. He was in no way prepared for this one word question. "Well, um, that is, you see…" _Out with it_, he demanded himself. "That month and a half I spent with you in summer school was… we had a blast." He scolded himself at his horrible fragmented English. It was as if he learned nothing over the course of the summer. "Only someone like you can make school fun, Kairi. I just… missed what was. I was kind of upset when we lost contact with each other for two weeks, but now that you're here, well, I figured that I should tell you this before I miss you again."

She leaned closer as if telling him a secret. For once, he hated guitars. It was acting as a barrier between them.

"Well," she whispered, "as of now, you won't have to miss me anymore." And when she began to sing softly along with her light strums, he was a goner.

* * *

Sora doesn't hesitate to ask her to hang out the following day. He didn't want to seem too eager, but he couldn't help it. After he saw those unique purple blue eyes glow in the cave, he couldn't help it.

So when he arrives at her house (mansion was more like it) and is ordered to wait by the gate by one of the intimidating guards, he's surprised to see her walking towards him hand-in-hand with a girl toddler and preteen boy to her far left. He isn't too disappointed, though. As long as she was there, he was happy.

"Please don't tell me those are your kids," he joked when the trio arrived at the gate. "It might make things slightly awkward between us."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes Sora. I've given birth to two five year olds. I reproduced when I was nine years old."

He chuckled and leveled himself with Marlene. She looked at him with big, doe-like eyes. "And who might these people be?"

"These are my cousins Denzel and Marlene. Say hi, you two," she ordered softly. Marlene was the first to greet him with her high-pitched voice. When he tousled her hair playfully in return, it was obvious that she was fond of him already.

"Denzel," she said slowly, "say hi to Sora."

"Hi," the brunet boy said distantly, putting his hands in his pocket in a dramatic fashion.

"Don't take it personally," assured Kairi, "He's like that with everyone. He's going through that '_I'm too cool for this'_ preteen stage."

"Kairi, are you and Sora like mommy and daddy?" suddenly asked Marlene. The two jumped at the question.

"No," answered Kairi. "Sora's my friend, like Tidus. You remember Tidus right?"

"Tidy-Widy?" asked Marlene with a giggle. Kairi nodded.

"Ooh, friend zoned," came a whisper only Sora could hear. He turned toward the only source of the sound: the guard by the gate. It didn't take him long to realize that it was Axel in disguise. Roxas gave him thumbs up from a nearby bush.

"Are you mental?" Sora whispered back. The 'guard' merely winked.

"You don't mind, do you?" suddenly asked Kairi. "My parents are having business talks with their parents and the kids wanted to get out. I figured you'd be good with kids since you're one yourself."

"Ha ha," he dragged sarcastically. "And no, I don't mind. Where do you think we should take them?"

"The play island, maybe?" she suggested. "They've been dying to visit it. I've told them about it a couple of times."

Sora couldn't contain the grin forming on his face. He hadn't been on the island since they first met. He felt as if she were willing to share her childhood with him this time by personally inviting him herself. "That… sounds great. Let's go."

The island still proved to be an excitable place after all the years that went by. The abandoned ship, primarily, was their main source of entertainment. While Kairi talked Marlene into walking the plank (which was Destatiian slang for jumping off the diving board), Sora kept the ever-quiet Denzel company on the deck.

"I don't trust you," said Denzel bluntly.

"What?" asked Sora, perplexed that an eleven-year-old boy would say such a thing out in the open.

"I'm not trying to be rude. I'm just being honest," he said.

"Well thank you for your honesty," thanked Sora optimistically. "And I understand why you don't trust me. This is our first meeting, after all."

"No. You like my cousin," he stated brusquely.

Sora stiffened. He specifically made sure to make his moves seem strictly platonic today. Either this kid was observant beyond belief or he was just a bad actor. "Not in the way you're thinking."

"Yes, you do," the preteen insisted, "And I don't trust you. You seem very… playful and optimistic."

Sora looked at him unsurely. "And that's a bad thing?"

"You seem like you're just playing with her feelings," he explained. "You don't look like you're going to take things seriously. You're going to hurt her."

"I'm not going to hurt her," defended Sora. He didn't care if he was being painfully obvious. This kid needed to know that his intentions were pure. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"Whatever," Denzel muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I still don't trust you."

"Land ho!" called someone from the pier.

"Tidy-Widy!" sang Marlene from the plank. Kairi helped her back onto the deck and led everyone down to the pier.

"Hey squirt!" The shaggy blonde pulled Marlene up to his shoulders and acknowledged Denzel and Sora with a nod. "I heard the tikes came over and I couldn't resist seeing them again. Mind if Selphie and I take over for a bit?"

Kairi looked behind Tidus and found his brunette companion waving at them whilst standing on the canoe. Kairi didn't need to see her facial expression up close to see that she set this whole thing up. She knew Sora would be with her. She knew she'd take the kids to the island. She was good.

"Um…" Kairi looked toward Marlene who was currently giggling while pulling on Tidus' hair. Denzel simply looked like he didn't give a damn. Sora, on the other hand… "Sure, why not?"

Her brunet companion's ocean blue eyes lit up. She pretended not to notice.

"All right. I'll promise to have them home by five," informed Tidus, dragging the two children back on the canoe.

"Remember, no sex is safe sex!" yelled Selphie. Tidus immediately covered the children's' ears.

"You are going to be a horrible mother," the blond muttered when he began untying the ropes that kept the boat connected to the pier. When they were out of earshot, Sora sighed and sat on the edge of the pier.

"Tired?" asked Kairi, taking the seat next to him. When she looked at the horizon, she predicted that the sun was only an hour away from setting.

"Kind of," he lied. What Denzel said was really getting to him. Did it really appear that way? Did he seem like he was only toying with her? It certainly didn't feel that way.

"Did Denzel give you a tough time?" she asked, leaning backward with her palms behind her. He briefly wondered if she was a mind reader. "Because I told you, he's like that with everyone."

"Um, not really, just… he gave me something to think about," he answered, mimicking her position. Their shoulders brushed for a brief second, causing a chill to run up Kairi's spine.

"An eleven-year-old got to you?" She covered the chill with a chuckle. "What could he possibly have said?"

"He said something along the lines of me not taking things very seriously." Came the half-truth. "Is that true? Am I too childish? Do I not take anything seriously?"

"Sora," she started softly, "being childish isn't a bad thing. Some people need that in their lives to rid themselves of the hardships in their life. I know I do." She blushed, knowing she had just said _"I need you in my life"_ in a not-so-obvious way.

"But what if it's too much? If I don't take anything seriously, how can anyone expect me to take anything seriously?" She reassuringly placed a hand on his shoulder, causing his heart to jump.

"Sora, you are serious. I've seen it. When we were working on that project, during the exam. You're serious when you need to be, don't worry. Besides," she removed her hand and tucked some hair behind her left ear. "You're fine just the way you are. Stay Sora. Don't… don't change. Don't ever change, Sora."

She could feel his eyes on her as she watched the sun's reflection off of the water. He looked as if he were waiting for him to look at her, so she did.

And she did not regret doing so.

They were close, so close that, if either of them did so much as moved an inch, their foreheads would be touching. She looked at him, _really_ looked at him while he took in her scent. He had grown to memorize that scent that associated itself with Kairi. It was heavenly. It was a cherubic blend of roses, almond oil and the ocean breeze.

He wanted to kiss her so badly right then and there. But he couldn't. Not yet. That would have been selfish. He couldn't satisfy his wants without satisfying hers first.

Suddenly she cleared her throat, ruining their little moment.

"W-we should go. It's going to get dark soon. We don't want to have a difficult trip home, now do we?" Sora noticed her voice shake for the first time.

As she got up and dusted off her shorts, he nodded slowly, taking in that their moment was over. "Yeah. Sure. Let's go."

* * *

She's in the middle of laughing on Skype when she thinks the idea of liking him isn't so preposterous anymore. She was fourteen. The idea of a crush wasn't exactly farfetched.

Besides, Sora was a good guy. He made her happy in a way no one else could. He was polite and charming. Sociable. Adorable. They shared common interests. And in the span of two months, they practically had each other memorized. He walked comfortably with his hands in his pockets. She walked elegantly with light footsteps. After tying his shoelaces around his ankle, he'd double tie them. She kept it single tied. If the stoplight on an intersection were already blinking when they arrived, he'd run it. She preferred to wait. He loved icing on cupcakes. She hated it. Whenever she got excited, she'd ball her fists and jump slightly. The left corner of his lip would curl higher than his right. She knew him. He knew her. But yet, it wasn't enough. She wanted to know more.

And that almost kiss on the pier sealed the deal. She hadn't realized how much she'd wanted him to do it until he just _didn't_.

"Kairi? Is something wrong?" asked Sora via webcam. She shook her head, but he knew her. Then she heard intense, muffled yelling coming from his living room. She suspected that it was his parents. She asked him if everything was all right. He nodded, but she knew him.

* * *

"Tidus, can I ask you something?" asked a breathless Sora. He let his knees fall to the paved court as he let out an agonizing cry of exhaustion.

"Sure bro," replied Tidus, dribbling the ball twice before taking a shot at the net. It hit the board at an angle and swished right in. "Is this about Kairi?"

The brunet didn't hesitate. They'd discussed this bro-to-bro before. "Yes, it is."

"Then let's have a seat, shall we?" Tidus offered. He led them to a bench just on the outskirts of the basketball court. The sweaty blond opened the cooler on the sidelines and retrieved two for Sora and himself. The two immediately placed it on their faces and sighed in relief.

"So what's up?" asked Tidus, mouth half-pressed against the frozen bottle.

"You don't… you don't think I'm just playing with her, do you?" asked Sora worriedly.

Tidus raised a brow in suspicion. "Are you?"

"So you think so too, huh?" The brunet sighed in dismay. "I was afraid you'd say that."

"What brought this up?" Tidus asked mid-gulp.

"Denzel," the fellow athlete answered.

"And you listened to him?" The blond asked while chuckling incredulously. Then suddenly, his laughs died down and his face was stoic. He was void of all emotion and still as a statue. All that was heard was the chirping of birds and the yelling of people at the tennis court nearby. "Sora, there's something I need to tell you."

"Sure, man. What's up?" asked a genuinely concerned Sora. Tidus wasn't normally this serious and unmoving. It frightened him.

"Don't freak out."

"I won't. I pro-"

"I like Kairi."

Sora's heart stopped. All at once, his promise became an empty one. "_What_?"

"I like Kairi," Tidus confessed, blushing a bright shade of red. "Like… I_ like_ her. I know I should've told you earlier, but you posed no threat to me then. Now, I just… I don't know. It was getting unbearable."

"You _like like_ Kairi?" Sora asked, jaw agape. He should've seen it coming. They were, after all, childhood friends. Short lived or long term, it was bound to happen at some time. "That's… that's great."

Tidus raised both his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Really, you…" Sora cleared his throat to prevent his voice from shaking. "It's great."

"You're not going to put up a fight?"

Sora shrugged. "In all honesty, if it were any other guy, I would. But it's you, Tidus. You're my friend, and you make her happy. That's all I ever wanted for her. For you. Why would I put up a fight with that?"

Suddenly, Tidus began laughing. He clapped his friend on the shoulder and began wiping tears from his eyes. Sora's entire body went limp. What just happened?

"Either you are a horrible observer, or I'm an amazing actor. I'll select the latter because it makes me feel better," said Tidus in between wheezes. "Oh, Sora. Sora, Sora, Sora. Oh, how I love your gullible ways. You passed, you beautiful man you, you passed."

"Passed?" the brunet squeaked.

"Sora, I've been a friend to Kairi for far too long to see her that way. She's more like a little sister to me that I look out for. And as her-" he made air quotes, "-'older brother', I felt as if it was my duty to test your feelings for her. I've known her for twelve years, Sora, and the last thing I want is to have her hurt by some guy. I know you're a great guy and all, but I just needed to test you, and you certainly passed. If Kairi's happiness is of utmost importance to you, then good for you, man. Good for you. Now I know you want only what's best for her. Good job, brah."

"You snaked me," was all he could say.

Tidus winked. "Like Malcolm and Macduff."

Sora looked as if he had just sucked on a sour lemon. "Ew. English. Get away from me."

"If it makes you feel better, I was telling the half-truth. I did like Kairi, but that ship has long sailed."

"Is this the part where you tell me that you lied again and that you've actually been in love with her the whole time and that I'm the _other guy_ that all the fangirls hate because I'm getting in the way of their OTP?" asked Sora fearfully.

Tidus laughed some more. "No. She's all yours. You should ask her out."

Sora gasped. "Are you _crazy_? She's the mayor's daughter! There could be a sniper aimed at my heart right now."

"You shouldn't let status separate you from what you want. Besides, this may just be a hunch, but I think she likes you, too."

"What makes you so sure?"

"You didn't hint the sarcasm there, did you?" asked Tidus. "When I said hunch, I meant that I'm sure as I'll ever be that she likes you."

"But what makes you so confident?" asked the brunet once more. "She recently wished me a happy birthday. Ooh, wailing siren? I don't think so."

"Kairi's a girl, Sora," Tidus pointed out. "You know how they like their subliminal messaging or whatever. She may have wrote happy birthday on your wall, but we both know that she was sitting in front of her computer for like five minutes thinking of what to say."

"I don't believe you."

"Fine, if you're so hell bent on the fact that she doesn't like you, let's make this a little more interesting with a game then, shall we?" Tidus offered while spinning the basketball on his index finger.

Sora smirked. He loved a good competition. "Do go on."

"How confident are you in your basketball skills, Sora?"

"Extremely."

"Then let's play a game of HORSE. If I win, I am completely confident in knowing that Kairi likes you. If I lose, then, well, I lose. Either way I still think you should ask her out."

"Really? That's what you're basing your confidence on? A whim that you can beat me in basketball? That doesn't seem right. You'll lose. Five shots in a row are too easy."

"Then let's change the word. How does HIPPO-POTO-MONSTROS-QUIPED-ALIO-PHOBIA sound?" Sora twitched. "The fear of long words," Tidus informed with a grin.

"The irony in that is outstanding," chuckled Sora. "But you're on."

It was needless to say that Tidus won.

* * *

"You're a good friend, Tidus," Selphie told him that evening. She picked on her sundae at their usual meeting spot: _The Inside Scoop_, an unusually large ice cream parlor down the boardwalk of East Beach. "So Sora has absolutely no idea that you like her?"

"I told him I didn't anymore," the blond answered, hands buried in his hair.

"When did this crush even start?"

"I don't know," he grumbled helplessly. "You know how we started training for swimming a week ago? We were just at the pool last week and, I don't know… I just saw her differently."

"I see," said Selphie, slowly mixing the chocolate syrup into her vanilla ice cream.

"I want what he wants. Kairi happy. Is that… is that so bad?"

Selphie reached over from their booth and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tidus, I'm sure what you're going through is just a phase. You're like Kairi's older brother. You've always wanted her to be happy. I think you're just confusing yourself because she's growing up. It has, after all, been only a week."

"Maybe you're right," he considered. "I'll eventually get over it. Thanks, Selphie."

"I'm always right," she said haughtily, getting up from her seat. "Be right back. Gotta pee." As his companion left her, Tidus fed himself the last spoonful of his treat and got up to pay the bill on the far right of the parlor. As he waited for the machine to accept his debit card, he looked toward the small stage in the center of the parlor. It was Friday, _The Inside Scoop's_ Open Mic Night, where singers from all over the island could showcase their talent in a friendly competition.

"Are you going to sing tonight?" asked a girl behind the counter. She was different from the one who told him to swipe his card. She had short brown hair that stylishly stuck up at the ends and a long braid that ran down her back. Strangely enough, she had heterochromatic eyes, adding more to her mysterious look that Tidus couldn't quite place. He'd never seen her around before. She didn't look like she was from Destiny Islands. She must have been new.

"Um, no," he said, finally answering her question. "I'm not a singer." He'd never participate himself; he wouldn't dare, but he had a thing for girls who could sing. "Are you?"

"I am," she nodded, flashing him a bright smile while extending her hand towards him. "My name's Yuna."

He shook her hand and reciprocated the smile. "Tidus."

* * *

Kairi's beloved grandmother passes away the following week. Sora isn't formally invited to see her during the ceremony, so when Tidus tells him that he can see her within two days time, he jumps at the chance to invite her to the park near the school. She is eerily quiet and still on the swing when he arrives. They're alone. He doesn't back out, though. All his life, women had raised him. He knew how to confront them when they were upset.

"Hey," he says softly, taking the swing next to her. He doesn't bother asking her if she's okay. He knows she isn't. It's painful to accept. "You can talk to me, you know. Let it out."

She bites her lip and shakes her head. He notices her grip the chains of the swing tighter.

"Kairi," he makes her name a plea.

"I'm fine," she insists, though the tears brimming in her eyes begged to differ. He allows them to sit in silence for a while until he hears a sob-like sound escape her throat. He's in front of her within seconds.

"She loved to tell me stories. I loved her stories," she hiccupped. The tears finally came when she looked up at him. "Can I tell you a story?"

And for the first time, she's in his arms, and if she weren't soaking his shirt wet with her tears, he'd think that life couldn't get any better than that.

* * *

She gets better every day. Slowly her friends convince her that her grandmother would've wanted her to be happy. That she'd want her to live life to the fullest, not moping. So when Selphie insists that they go to the 100th anniversary of Destiny Islands festival with Sora and Tidus a week and a half later, the redhead doesn't decline.

"Kairi!" cheered Sora when they arrived. He looked overjoyed to see her. "You look really pretty."

"Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself," she said, admiring his navy blue polo and beige chinos.

"Well," Tidus stretched his arms and started backing away from the group. "I'm just gonna… go check out that booth over there." He gave Selphie a firm nod.

"Oh!" squealed the atrociously obvious brunette. "I'm… going to follow him. Bye now!" When Selphie and Tidus left the two abandoned on the boardwalk, Kairi resisted urge to rip their heads off. She really hoped Sora wasn't disappointed.

"Sora, I'm sorry. You can leave if you want," she mumbled.

"Now wait just a minute," he said. "Why would I want to do that?"

"So you'll stay? Even if it's only me?" she asked hopefully.

"Well I didn't come here to blow off the person I came to see," he grinned. "So where do you want to go first?"

She took a quick glance around her surroundings. Every Destiny Islands anniversary was built to be unforgettable. The air smelt of funnel cakes, paopu fruits, and salt water. Countless attractions were built on the beach every year, but one caught Kairi's eye in particular.

"That one," she said, pointing at a nearby tent.

Sora gulped. "That one? Kairi, I don't think I've ever told you this, but I have an irrational fear of mirror mazes."

"Why? Because all the mirrors break when you walk in?" she teased. He gasped, feigning offense. She giggled and boldly took his wrist. "The only way to get over a fear is to face it head on. Now come on."

He whimpered when they walked inside.

"Miss," said the woman in charge of the line-up, "is your boyfriend all right?"

Sora's heart skipped a beat when Kairi didn't bother correcting the woman. For a second there, someone actually thought they were dating. He secretly wished they were.

"He'll be fine," she assured, patting his arm. When it was their turn, Kairi forcefully dragged him inside.

"Tell me when it's over," he pleaded, closing his eyes.

"Hey! Eyes open!" she demanded. He opened them when he felt her hand intertwine with his. "Better?" she asked.

"Much," he admitted. He crushed her hand the whole way through.

"Sora," she whispered softly when it was over. "We're done. It's okay now. You got through it."

He inhaled sharply and nodded. "Only because you helped me." She's in his arms for the second time of their lives. "Thank you."

* * *

At one of the booths on the far end of the beach, Kairi held up a star shaped fruit. "Do you know what this is?" she asked Sora.

"I briefly remember seeing something like that when I was a kid," he replied, eyes skittish. "What's so special about it? It just looks like a fruit."

"It's called a paopu fruit."

"A poopoo fruit? That's horrible."

Kairi stifled her laugher. "Paopu fruit. Destatiian people believe that when two people share a paopu fruit, their destinies become intertwined."

Sora crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you implying something?"

She blushed madly, returning the fruit. "Th-that was strictly for informatory purposes!"

"Are you sure? You weren't very convincing, waving the fruit in front of my face like that," he teased.

"_Sora_," she groaned. It was so darn adorable in his eyes. Her gave her hair a good shake. Suddenly, her head shot up. "What? What's wrong?"

"I love this song!" she suddenly screamed, dragging him towards the dance floor in the center.

"What is this? I've never heard this before," said Sora, observing the many people dancing in partners around him. They moved in sync with moves he had never seen before. Before he knew it, Kairi intertwined both their hands and brought them up to level with their faces.

"It's traditional," she informed, bringing their chests together in one swift movement. He tried not to react inappropriately. "Okay, when I take one step forward, you take one back." He obeyed. "Good, now when I glide left, you glide left. Cross one foot over the other." He obeyed again. "Do the same when going right, but cross over with your other foot."

"I think I'm getting the hang of this," he said proudly, looking down at their feet.

"Now spin," she instructed. He spun her like he'd seen princes do in Disney movies. "Good!" she praised with her back to his chest and their hands still intertwined below. "Now when I walk forward, so do you." He followed. "Do the same going back."

"Then I'm guessing I spin you again?" he asked.

"That's right," she said, now spinning to face him. "Now repeat."

"This isn't so hard," he said, taking a step back when she stepped forward.

"I'm glad you think so, because it gets faster," she chuckled.

"Wha-" But before he could say anything else, the music suddenly had a drastic change in tempo. "Hey, what, Kairi-"

"Glide right, glide right!" she commanded through giggles. He nearly tripped over his own feet trying to keep up with her. For the remainder of the song he merely spun her around and around, not knowing which steps to return to once she was done. Kairi didn't seem to mind, though. She was content with spinning. Her laughing and humming alone was music to his ears.

It was then Sora noticed that Kairi loved Destiny Islands. She embraced her culture, her home. She appreciated its vast oceans, sports, legends, traditions, and scenery. And on that night, that one night, she taught it to him all. She welcomed him to her home. He, regardless of his parent's arguing back home, finally felt at home and welcome, because home wasn't that two-storey bungalow twenty minutes away from the beach.

Home was the girl who was laughing in his arms.

So when they decided that enough was enough for one night, they crashed on the shore far from the night's festivities, side by side, looking up at the firework filled sky. And when they looked each other in the eye at the exact same time, Sora didn't think he was in love with her anymore. He knew.

* * *

Selphie insisted that she and Kairi go to the beach with Sora and Tidus the following day.

The problem: Selphie also insisted that she wear a cute –albeit revealing- swimsuit in one of the boardwalk shops.

"I am _not_ wearing this," whined Kairi from the other side of the change room.

"Can I at least see you in it?" asked Selphie, picking at her French-manicured nails.

"Are Sora and Tidus in the store?" the redhead asked, fearful that the boys would see her in so little clothing.

"No, you freak. They're getting drinks," replied Selphie, now impatiently banging on the door. "Now come out and flaunt your sexiness!" With a groan, Kairi opened the change room door and shyly walked out.

"Oh my _gosh_," squealed Selphie, "you're totally wearing that." As if to emphasize her thoughts, Seifer banged on the store window and wolf-whistled with his male cronies. Kairi turned beet red.

"No way. It's… it's…"

"It's _hot_," finished Selphie, admiring her choice in swimsuits. "There's no way Sora can resist you after seeing you in that."

"That's just wrong, Selphie. He doesn't strike me as that kind of person."

"We're not trying to make him do it with you. We're just trying to get his attention. We're simply _provoking_ him to make a move and ask you out," the brunette explained. "Besides, you live on Destiny Islands, Kairi; the land where girls wear bikinis on a daily basis. I think it's time you grow up and become an average citizen. I don't even know why you're being modest. It's not like you're unattractive."

To prove her point, Tidus spit out his water by the door and excused himself.

Selphie raised her eyebrows as if saying _See_?

Kairi bit her lip and looked in the mirror. "Well, it is kind of… cute…"

Before she knew it, Selphie clammed the cash onto the counter and dragged her best friend outside.

"Hello boys!" Selphie sung as they met up on the boardwalk. "Lovely day isn't it?"

"Yeah," agreed Tidus, obviously trying not to gawk at his childhood friend. "L-lovely."

"What about you, Sora? How are you today?" she asked cheekily.

"It's, er…" he pulled on the collar of his shirt, looking at anything _but_ Kairi. He always thought she was always a one-piece swimsuit kind of girl. He'd never seen her wear anything else other than a one piece before.

Until now, that is.

"It's kind of hot," he answered honestly. He wasn't referring to the weather.

Selphie then sent her best friend victorious smirk. "We should go for a swim, then."

After a quick, awkward swim, the remainder of the afternoon was spent watching Tidus and Sora face off with a couple of friends at beach volleyball.

"Selphie, can I change back now?" asked a self-conscious Kairi from afar. She tried to cover up her upper body when another teen wolf-whistled in her direction.

"Are you crazy? He just said you looked hot," reminded her best friend. "We gotta keep his mind going if you want him to ask you out."

"But I want to play," she whined.

"Then play," smirked Selphie.

"Do you see how thin the string is on this thing?" complained Kairi, gesturing to the string on her swimsuit. "What if I decide to spike the ball and my top just falls to the floor?"

"All the more it's gonna turn him on," she winked.

"You are disturbed. I highly doubt he's like that, Selphie. Just let me cha-" A girl wearing a swimsuit far worse than Kairi's suddenly walked up to Sora and leaned toward him while twirling her hair. She boldly placed a hand on his developing bicep and blinked her false lashes in attempts to turn him on. Kairi narrowed her eyes. He gave her no signs of rejection. In fact, he seemed to enjoy making conversation with her. There was no discomfort in that smile of his.

"I think I'm going to go for another swim," muttered Kairi.

* * *

"I'm such a fool," grumbled a hopeless, irritated Kairi the following day. She sat on the edge of the outdoor training pool, rocking her legs back and forth in the water. She rested her elbows on her knees and rested her face in her palms. "All this time, he's just been playing with me. I'm just some girl he met over the summer who he played with, nothing more."

Tidus chuckled from behind her while trying to towel dry his golden locks. It turned out Selphie was right. His crush on her two weeks prior was just a phase. "Kairi, I'm a dude, so trust me when I say that he is not playing with you."

"But he's leaving in like. Two weeks. I'm wasting my time. How could I have been so stupid?"

"You're not stupid," said Tidus, "Just a little impatient." Before Kairi could defend himself, Selphie walked through the gate with a picnic basket in hand.

"I bring fruit from the vines of wrath," she announced dramatically. "And by vines of wrath I mean my fridge and by fruit I mean sandwiches."

"Oh, Selphie! Thank goodness! You just saved me from girl talk," said Tidus, relieved. "And good job with those sandwiches. I'm glad you know your place in the world.

"You are a sexist little pig." She moved the basket away from him when he tried reaching for its contents. "No sandwich for you." As the two bickered like children, Kairi couldn't help but chuckle. Selphie's crush on Tidus was so obvious to everyone but Tidus himself.

When Tidus finally managed to get his hands on a sandwich, he munched on it while leaving for the change rooms.

"Is he seriously going to eat a sandwich in the shower?" asked Kairi.

"Boys are weird," Selphie concluded. "And speaking of boys…" She wiggled her eyebrows at Kairi suggestively. "How's the Sora situation going?"

The redhead groaned. "Not well. I'm wasting my time."

"You're not wasting your time. He likes you, Kairi. And I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. I'm being completely honest. You know me. I'm straight up."

"If he liked me, he would have done something by now." Kairi sighed in dismay. "I think we should just accept that maybe, just maybe, he's not the least bit interested in seeing me like _that_."

Selphie almost laughed. "Kairi, Sora is an idiot if he's flirting that heavily and not into you."

"But maybe he just doesn't like me, Selphie. Remember yesterday? Provoking him didn't help in the least bit. He hasn't made any moves or anything. And that day you were babysitting Marlene and Denzel with Tidus, I thought he was going to kiss me on the pier. But guess what? He didn't. He just didn't. He didn't want to."

"Sora is a _boy_, Kairi. Some boys are shy. Sora, in particular, is extremely shy. He may not be shy toward anything else, but when it comes to this, he's a turtle hiding in his cute little shell. Just trust me. He's into you."

"And what if he is?" challenged Kairi. "What if he asks me out? Then what? He's got two weeks left here - two weeks and its bye bye Destiny Islands and hello Eden. It's no use anymore. Maybe… maybe we should just stop. We'll just stay friends. We'll be okay. We can live off of Skype."

"Who cares if your relationship short lived? It could be intense and passionate all the same. If you're meant to be, you're meant to be. Take a chance," Selphie pointed out. "And no, I won't allow you two to be 'just friends' when it's clear that you like each other. Just keep liking him, Kairi. I'm sure it'll all be worth it. Things will work out. Just wait."

* * *

In standard time, she didn't have to wait long. In Kairi time, it had been years. For the past week Sora had been acting strange around her as well, which led her to the conclusion that Selphie and Tidus were right. He did like her. But he didn't act unlike himself, no, he was still comfortable around her, but sometimes she'd catch him staring at her or staring off into space, deep in thought. She admitted she was getting a little impatient, but she figured she had every right to be. He had one week left. One week to let her know that the past few months meant something to him, too.

On his last Saturday, Kairi received a text. She sprawled herself across her bed to reach her phone on the nightstand.

_Text received from_ **Sora**:  
Can we go for a walk? I need to talk to you.

Kairi looked at the clock. They had done this before, gone on casual walks, but not this late. It was already eight thirty. She was about to tell Sora as much, but he already sent another text.

_Text received from_ **Sora**:  
It's not late. Come on, lazy bum.

She chuckled that her nickname for him was used against her. Powerless to resist, she texted him back.

_Where?_

_Text received from_ **Sora**:  
Beach.

There was no question as to which beach he was referring to. She knew. So without a second thought, she got up, stretched, changed into a white blouse and purple skort and walked out the door hoping that this particular walk would be the one that changed everything.

"Where have you been?" he asked when she finally arrived on her canoe. He stood on his own canoe, his right shoulder leaning against the edge of the pier. "I've been standing here for fifteen minutes trying to look cool. It isn't easy, you know."

When he hopped onto the pier, he helped the giggling Kairi up like a true gentleman.

"So what's up?" she asked, dusting off her shirt.

"Nothing, I…" he scratched the back of his head. Kairi knew what this meant. He was lying. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"At eight forty-five? Sora, it's already dusk. Look." She gestured toward the sky that was painted half blue, half sunset: Her favourite time of day.

"Fine, I needed to talk to you about something. Walk with me," he asked softly. He started toward the shoreline with Kairi at his side.

"So what is it?" she asked, getting impatient after five minutes of silence. With each passing minute the sun got lower and the moon got higher. Kairi figured it was like her and Sora -together for only a little while. The thought made her heart ache.

"I've noticed something," he said, letting the shallow waters tickle his feet. "I've noticed you act different lately. You seem… not impatient, but a little weary of me lately. Have I done something?"

_It's more like what you haven't done,_ she thought but didn't voice. Suddenly, she felt a wave of confidence overcome her. All the irritation and hopelessness she felt toward him came rushing back in that one moment. She was getting somewhat angry. She had to know if he was just playing with her. She had to take matters into her own hands. She'd been suffering at the expense of his flirting for far too long.

So she said it.

"Sora, what are you doing?"

"I'm walking."

"No, what are you _doing_?" she asked, more sternly this time. "For the past few months, you've been playing with me. Do you… what exactly are you trying to do?"

Sora inhaled sharply and massaged his temples. "I was afraid you'd think that. Kairi, please don't think like that. I'm not playing with you. I am kinder than that, believe me."

"Then what?" she asked, voice wavering.

"Why now?" he suddenly whispered. He was using the hushed tone that associated him with cowardice, fear, nervousness or embarrassment.

In this case, it was all of them at once. This was not what he wanted to discuss.

"Why are you asking me this now?" he asked, his voice barely audible with the waves crashing on the shore.

"Because I'm scared," she answered, hugging herself. How he desperately wished it were his hands on her arms.

"What are you afraid of?" he asked. "Just tell me."

"Why do you have to make me so blunt about this?" she asked, the volume of her voice slightly lower than his. "I'm scared that you're going to leave without… without…" She couldn't finish the sentence.

"Leave?" The word was foreign to him. "Why would I leave?"

"Aren't you a transfer?" she asked.

"Transfer?" Another foreign word. "No, Kairi, I… oh. _Oh_. You thought…" He chuckled to himself. Kairi didn't find anything funny. "You think I'm leaving for Eden? I… I can't believe I never told any of you about this. I live here, you know. I'm not going back to Eden. I live on Destiny Islands. When September comes, I'll be attending Destiny Academy. I'm not leaving."

Kairi didn't know whether to laugh or cry at that moment. She'd never considered that maybe, just maybe, she could keep him. That he _wasn't_ a transfer. That he was staying.

"Is that what you were scared of?" he asked, his voice light and buoyant once again. The mood suddenly lightened when he laughed. "That I was going to leave?"

Kairi pulled on her arm uncomfortably. "Not exactly, but…"

"Why were you scared, hm?" he asked, smirking as he lowered his face to her level. "Would you miss me?"

She confidently looked him in the eye, giving her the upper hand. "Maybe. Maybe I was scared for the same reason you transferred to my class."

He inched closer. She was making his job so much easier for him. "Oh? And what reason was that?"

"You tell me," she countered, forcing the confession upon him once again. Finally he sighed and accepted that he would have to be the one to do it after all. It was the reason he called her out to the beach in the first place.

"Fine," he said, pulling away. His voice shook slightly. "I transferred because I like you. It's just… I couldn't help it. When I first saw you in the secret place… I couldn't help it." He looked toward the setting sun with red cheeks. "That's what I called you here for. I wanted to tell you that I like you, m-more than a friend. I thought you deserved to know. Does that answer suffice?"

The corners of Kairi's lips raised. She smiled the largest smile she possibly could. She didn't care if she looked like an idiot, because Sora had just declared his feelings for her, and at that very moment, that was all that mattered.

He wasn't playing with her.

He liked her.

He _liked_ her.

And she liked him.

They liked _each other_.

She was so relieved that she couldn't think straight.

"That answer… definitely suffices," she finally answered, taking it in. Then after realizing that she hadn't given him a proper answer, she added, "I like you, too."

His head snapped in her direction, eyes wide in disbelief. "Wh-what?"

She repeated it again with a giggle. "I like you, too."

"Say it again," he ordered softly, still refusing to believe it.

"I like you, Sora."

"Again."

"Sora, I like you."

"You like me," he repeated, tasting the words. "So you, and I, and we, and you…" he said in between slow, deep breaths. "We like each other?" he finally squeaked.

"I… I guess so," she concluded, the smile still evident on her face. Then silence.

"I don't know what to say," he finally said, running a hand through his spikes with a chuckle. "I wasn't expecting that answer."

"I've been waiting for you to tell me that for a while now," she admitted with a nervous chuckle. "Why did you choose now to tell me?"

"Because of what you said earlier," he said. "I didn't want you to think I was just playing with you. I thought it was time I come right out and tell you the truth."

"Then you thought right," she complimented.

"And thank goodness I did," he said, eyeing her hands that had fallen to her sides. "I'm sorry if I seem weird right now. I am incredibly inexperienced when it comes to things like this, so... I don't really know how things work. I'm kind of a dork."

"It's fine, Sora," giggled Kairi. "This is all new to me, too."

"So, uh…" He laughed nervously. "Would it be all right if I, uh… you know…" She caught him eyeing her hand and smiled. Their hands found each other effortlessly. For Sora, it served as physical proof that what had just happened was real. He didn't hold back on his thoughts. "Wow. This is actually happening."

"I can't believe you fell for someone who ran away from you in a cave," she said with a pathetic chuckle.

"And I can't believe you fell for the world's biggest dork," he whispered. She's in his arms for the third time in their lives.

* * *

"So is that why you wore that rather provocative swimsuit the other day?" asked Sora cheekily. That same evening, the two occupied the bent paopu tree on the island with Sora's head on Kairi's lap. It could have been minutes as well as hours. They couldn't keep track.

"Maybe." Kairi blushed.

Sora chuckled and brought up a hand to caress her cheek, still feeling the need to feel her there. He was afraid that if he didn't, his alarm clock would go off and he'd have to get up and face another way without telling Kairi how he really felt.

But those days were over now.

"If its intention was to get my attention, then trust me, it certainly did," he assured with a laugh.

"That slender brunette certainly got your attention as well," she reminded.

"Now wait just a minute," he said. "Was that why you went back in the water? Because you thought I was into her?" She nodded sheepishly. "Kairi, if you wanted my attention, all you had to do was ask. You didn't have to… _tease_ me. You've had my undivided attention all summer."

"Aww, Sora," she cupped both his cheeks in her hands. Suddenly, her eyes hardened. "You better not do that again, though."

He laughed again. "If I had known you were going to be this jealous, I wouldn't have confessed. You're too much of a hassle to handle." Kairi's jaw immediately dropped. "I'm kidding!" he assured defensively. "Even if you were a hassle to handle, which you're _not_, I still would've liked you. I would never give up on you, Kairi."

"Nice save," she complimented. He relaxed knowing he was forgiven again. Then suddenly, Kairi lifted his head off her lap. He rose to sit beside her, curious as to what she was doing.

Then she took off her shirt, and Sora's cheeks grew incredibly warm.

"Wh… what are you doing?" he asked tensely. His eyes grew wide, hopeful.

"Going for a swim," she answered flatly, dismissing any perverted thoughts that he previously had.

"Now? The waves are awfully strong," he pointed out.

"Then why don't you come catch me?" she insisted, already running across the bridge. He removed his own shirt and ran after her. He caught her staring at the sky in waist-deep water. "Sora, what's the date today?"

"August 25th," he answered, moving to stand beside her.

"The predicted date of Destinia's meteor shower," she whispered, and then pointed toward a faraway island. "Look." Sure enough, streaks of various colours crossed the sky toward the island.

"Wow," he breathed, then came to his senses. "Wait, isn't that dangerous?"

Kairi shook her head as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "Most meteors are no larger than a grain of sand. They disintegrate before they can even reach the world's surface."

"How do you know that?" he asked, fascinated by the colours illuminating the sky.

"My parents told me I was found on the night of a meteor shower. I decided to do some research. They're quite rare and beautiful," she whispered, eyes twinkling.

"Like you," he said, admiring her profile.

"Wow," she chuckled. "That was extremely cheesy."

"But I meant it," he argued.

"I know," she chuckled. And before they knew it, a wave larger than the others had knocked them both off their feet. Sora took hold of Kairi before he was knocked off balance, keeping her close so that they wouldn't get separated. They were under for three seconds until the wave had died down, leaving Sora to lie on top of Kairi on the wet sand. She was unexpectedly laughing at the mishap as he placed his hands on either side of her head, keeping him steady on top of her. She just lay there, laughing, until she caught him staring.

"What?" she asked.

"I think I love you," he whispered, leaning forward so that their noses touched.

"You think?" she chuckled.

"I'm actually just scared of your reaction," he admitted wholeheartedly. "Did it frighten you?"

"Not in the least bit," she answered. His eyes drooped slightly as he turned his head to the side. "Are you going to kiss me?" she suddenly asked, her heart beating erratically.

"Do you want me to?" he asked, seeking permission. Her needs came first.

She lifted herself slightly so that her elbows were resting on the sand and that their foreheads were touching. After a few minutes of just laying there, eyes closed and deep in thought, she finally said, "Yes."

He checked her eyes. She was sure. He smiled and leaned closer.

"You're actually going to?" she asked once more, still preparing herself. He nodded slowly. "I should just stop talking and let you do it, huh?"

"Mhmm," he agreed, leaning in to close the gap in between them. And for the first time in their lives, they knew what it felt like to fly.

* * *

**That... was the longest thing I _ever_ wrote. And yet, that was the condensed version LOL. I hope that makes up for my absence and I hope you guys still love me!**

**So how has everyone been for the past five-ish months? I've been good lately. Well, sorta. Things have changed since I last spoke to all of you, but to make things easier, I'll put it in point form :)**

**- Well, for one, I got braces four days ago. Oh, the torment! My friends were all like "Say goodbye to the life you knew!" or "It's excruciatingly painful!". I thought they were over exaggerating, but two days ago, I had two cold water bottles pressed against my face because I was in so much pain. I can't chew _anything_.  
- Thank you all for helping me reach 100,000+ hits on this story, over 1250 reviews and over 300 faves! Your support means so much to me :')  
- Did I tell you that I started driving? When I first stepped on the gas pedal, I underestimated how light it was and floored the thing. Thank goodness I have fast reflexes and hit the breaks a second later.  
- I dyed my hair back to black. It was a really nice Kairi red the last time I wrote to you guys, but since it faded to brown, I went natural again!  
- I went on the tallest roller coaster in Canada. When my friends and I got strapped into our seats, the woman with the mic was like "You are about to go 306ft up in the air and will experience a drop near 90 degrees. It is not my intention to scare you!" I was like _B,_ _Puh-lease_. It took one minute to get to the top of the freaking ride, and yet, that was it. After the drop, it was nothing. DAREDEVIL.  
- I watched _The Avengers_ awhile back, and it was _so good_. OMG. Better than The Hunger Games. By the way, if you want to know what I thought about that movie, you can go to my page and check the Hunger Games section.  
- Watched MIBIII recently and it was so good too! I absolutely love prequels.  
- Over the march break, I finished FFXIII-2. I am officially in love with Noel Kreiss. Serah x Noel ftw! He looks like an older Sora, no?  
- Final exams are in a week! Wish me luck! But when it's over, the next chapter will come before you know it, and my cousin's coming back to visit Canada :D**

**Now, many things to say about this chapter. I once heard a great director say that in a movie, you have to take out your favourite scenes. I believe the same thing applies to writing. I have four different versions of this chapter on my computer, all with different moments that I liked and disliked. Also, it was very hard to condense the main couple's backstory into two chapters! Originally their backstory was only supposed to take up half a chapter like Roxas and Namine's, but I extended it just so we could get a better look at their relationship from the past. It was even harder to write a chapter without our extra characters! No Hayner, Olette, Riku, Namine and the rest of the gang = sad times :(**

**Now, onto character development. Kairi's still the same confident Kairi we know, and Sora, well, I guess I wanted to make him seem a little more charming here. Charmingly dorky, that is. That's how I imagined him lol. But he's still the same ol' childish goofball. Selphie, on the other hand, had a major character change in this first part. I wanted to portray Selphie as the outwardly girly but inwardly mature type. Notice how she didn't hate on Kairi when she found out that Tidus liked her? She's honest and knowledgeable, not just annoyingly girly.**

**In the next chapter, we'll face how Sora and Kairi's relationship develops. We'll encounter Xion again (if you didn't notice, she was the ebony-haired girl in the beginning) as well as Seifer (dun dun dunnn) and the separation of Sora and Roxas. We'll also get to see the turn of the tide: their break-up. I hope you're all ready for it!**

**Well I really have to start studying now, but before I do so, I simply have to thank all the people who reviewed the last chapter. I lost track of who I replied to last time, but I'll PM anyone who reviews this time! Special thanks to: **Sooperevee, cupcakexofxdoom, mrkhrules, Kuroyami Fukaikuro, Zach Fleming, Hiddensecret564, ChuckleBunny, Member of the Creed, AsoenixKristian, LittleKeybladeNinja, xTwilightxDestinyx, Thalia, BaconisEpic, asb227, ShadowSpooky, Artism, anon, Jackson12, MeganLovesHelloKitty69, Versivalia, CupcakeLerman, Jared Someone, Zoe the Hunter, Dennou Writer, AKAAkira, Mokimoki-chan, RoxasLuvsCookies, KurukiXV, Sookdeo, Tyket Ansatsu, DragoNik, Nichole, godson5518, StaySaneInsideInsanity, Help, Redeeming Endeavor, Nikolas Sur, beckster411, TwinToshiro, Q-A The Authoress, EternallySky, ThatGuyFromThatPlace21, Gumi Harue, Spellbound aka soragirl4ever, xSmileage, Isabelz3Cookies, Ms. Lazy, Half-Dragon Hero, 2bblue101, Keyblades of Oblivion and aquarosebandleader.

**Thank you all for your support. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for any of you. Even my own words, and I'm a writer, can't express how much I appreciate your support and reviews. And don't get scared if I ever update this late again, which, hopefully, I won't. I've come to know you all too well to leave you :)**

**xoKyorii**


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